deserve

verb

de·​serve di-ˈzərv 

deserved; deserving

transitive verb

: to be worthy of : merit

deserves another chance

intransitive verb

: to be worthy, fit, or suitable for some reward or requital

… have become recognized as they deserve.

—T. S. Eliot

a worse punishment than he deserved

deserver noun

Synonyms

• earn

Examples of deserve in a Sentence

the team really deserved that victory after the way they played

Recent Examples on the Web

But let someone else be educator in chief and focus on other things people deserve, which is reading, literacy and wraparound services – and actual teachers who want to be in Oklahoma. —Kayla Jimenez, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025

Our belief that the public deserves an honest, competent, and impartial judiciary is part of our DNA. —Muhammad U. Faridi, New York Daily News, 17 Aug. 2025

The jury concluded that Tesla knew its tech wasn’t up to that task, chose not to make that clear, and deserved to pay punitive damages for putting lives at risk. —Merick T. Lewin, Sun Sentinel, 17 Aug. 2025

Tesla might be the poster child of the electric vehicle revolution, but the Nissan Leaf deserves equal credit for making EVs viable as everyday cars. —James Morris, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deserven, disserven "to be worthy of, attain what one deserves," borrowed from Anglo-French deservir, desservir, deserver "to deserve, merit, earn, be entitled to" (also continental Old & Middle French), going back to Medieval Latin dēservīre "to serve, officiate (at mass), hold land by service, earn, deserve," going back to Latin, "to spend one's time in, devote oneself (to pursuits, interests), be submissive to, comply with," from dē- de- + servīre "to perform duties for (a master) in the capacity of a slave, act in subservience, be at the service of" — more at serve entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing deserve

• deserve a medal

Rhymes for deserve

• conserve
• manoeuvre
• observe
• preserve
• reserve
• subserve
• curve
• mirv
• nerve
• serve
• swerve
• verve

Kids Definition

deserve

verb

de·​serve di-ˈzərv 

deserved; deserving

: to be worthy of : merit

deserves another chance