deserved

1 of 2

adjective

de·​served di-ˈzərvd 

: of, relating to, or being that which one deserves

a deserved reputation

deservedly

di-ˈzər-vəd-lē 

-ˈzərvd-lē

adverb

deservedness

di-ˈzər-vəd-nəs 

-ˈzərvd-nəs

noun

deserved

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of deserve

Synonyms of deserved

Adjective

• justified

Examples of deserved in a Sentence

Adjective

a well deserved promotion for a hard worker

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The toilet bowl has Díaz-Canel’s face painted on it, so people can leave their deserved offering. — Sarah Moreno august 7, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026

Netflix has already faced deserved criticism for its sports coverage, often turning live events into infomercials for its entertainment division. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026

After leading Prairie View to its best season in decades, coach Tremaine Jackson fights for deserved HBCU recognition after a Texas convention snub. — Jason Kirk, New York Times, 24 July 2026

Cogan also said Zamabda deserved credit for sparing the government the difficulty and cost of going to trial. — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of deserve

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1552, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deserved

• underserved
• undeserved
• unobserved
• unreserved
• conserved
• decurved
• incurved
• observed
• preserved
• recurved
• reserved
• subserved

Kids Definition

deserved

adjective

de·​served -ˈzərvd 

: of, relating to, or being that which one deserves

a deserved punishment

deservedly

-ˈzər-vəd-lē 

adverb

deservedness

-nəs 

noun