deserving

1 of 2

noun

de·​serv·​ing di-ˈzər-viŋ How to pronounce deserving (audio)
: desert, merit
reward the proud according to their deservingsCharles Kingsley

deserving

2 of 2

adjective

1
: having good qualities that deserve praise, support, etc. : meritorious, worthy
rewarding deserving workers
scholarships for deserving students
2
: appropriately having or being given something specified
used with of
a proposal deserving of support [=a proposal that deserves support]
a criminal deserving of punishment
deservingly adverb
deservingness noun

Examples of deserving in a Sentence

Adjective He's a very deserving young man. The church provides aid to deserving families.
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.
Noun
Further, these books present disabled experience as worthy of study and analysis, and deserving of the same care and attention that any literary work demands. Sophia Stewart, The Atlantic, 18 Aug. 2025 While a revision of that size is arguably a statistical anomaly, and deserving of looking into, President Trump instead decided to fire the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner in charge of the report. Jj Kinahan, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The scandal exposed how some wealthy families cheated and bribed to secure spots for their children at elite universities, sparking nationwide outrage over denied opportunities for more deserving students. Hanna Park, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025 But what’s ultimately the most impressive (and deserving of the big screen) is Piccard and Jones’ actual journey. Tomris Laffly, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deserving

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English deserving, deservinge, from gerund of deserven "to deserve"

Adjective

from present participle of deserve

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deserving was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deserving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deserving. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

deserving

adjective
de·​serv·​ing
di-ˈzər-viŋ
: worthy entry 1 sense 2
especially : worthy of financial help
aid for deserving families

More from Merriam-Webster on deserving

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