deserved

adjective

de·​served di-ˈzərvd How to pronounce deserved (audio)
: of, relating to, or being that which one deserves
a deserved reputation
deservedly
di-ˈzər-vəd-lē How to pronounce deserved (audio)
-ˈzərvd-lē
adverb
deservedness
di-ˈzər-vəd-nəs How to pronounce deserved (audio)
-ˈzərvd-nəs
noun

Examples of deserved in a Sentence

a well deserved promotion for a hard worker
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That Bearman now stands at the brink of a race ban for the same thing (his previous eight-point haul, it must be stressed, deserved) crystallized my argument. Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025 Yungblud has certainly been getting a lot of deserved attention as of late, particularly from the hard rock and metal crowds as a result of his tributes to Ozzy Osbourne. Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 However, the excitement in Green Bay is real and deserved. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 Fleetwood’s victory was well earned and well deserved. Sheldon H. Jacobson, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deserved

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of deserve

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deserved was circa 1552

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Cite this Entry

“Deserved.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deserved. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

deserved

adjective
de·​served -ˈzərvd How to pronounce deserved (audio)
: of, relating to, or being that which one deserves
a deserved punishment
deservedly adverb
deservedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on deserved

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