undeserving

adjective

un·​de·​serv·​ing ˌən-di-ˈzər-viŋ 

: not deserving: such as

a

: lacking merit : not worthy of praise, assistance, attention, etc.

selfish, undeserving people

The natural history of women's friendships is by no means a thin or undeserving subject.

—Barbara Kingsolver

b

: not deserving something specified

… circumstances of brutal outrage, of which poor Jean was in many respects wholly undeserving.

—Sir Walter Scott

I do not mean to say that medicine is blameless … or undeserving of criticism.

—Margaret Talbot

undeservingly adverb

Examples of undeserving in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The parties alone aren’t responsible for weak and undeserving candidates. — Maria Comella, Vanity Fair, 23 July 2026

But many of us said that about Qatar 2022, where human rights, unsold tickets and a belief among some that the small Gulf nation was an undeserving host dominated the tournament discourse and narrative. — Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

This may be particularly effective if prosecutors also use their discretion to decline more undeserving cases up front, treating the use of taxpayer dollars on prosecution as something that requires deliberate justification rather than something that happens by default. — Rebecca Dunlea, The Conversation, 17 June 2026

There are no nominees undeserving of praise. — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1549, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing undeserving

• undeserving poor

Rhymes for undeserving

• conserving
• deserving
• observing
• preserving
• reserving
• subserving
• unnerving
• unswerving
• curving
• serving
• swerving