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

Carter Faith has an outside, but critically deserved, chance to join them. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2026

The question is whether Google — a company with a deserved reputation for giving up when the going gets tough — has the commitment to see this through and turn things around. — Dominic Preston, The Verge, 12 Oct. 2026

Amid ongoing disputes that have rattled a city office at the center of complaints for months, a grievance is pending in which a worker claims unfair treatment, discrimination and that he was denied a deserved promotion. — Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026

Maresca’s players followed soon after; Iliman Ndiaye, an inspired half-time substitute, was hanging around at the back of the group when Ruben Dias grabbed him and thrust him to the front, ensuring the new signing got a deserved ovation. — Sam Lee, New York Times, 14 Sep. 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