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

Susan Branje, the head of the department of education and pedagogy at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, found that favorite children might feel guilty or undeserving when the favoritism is so obvious. —Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026

Each of Cicellis’s young protagonists arrives at the grim realization that their life is circumscribed not by a god but by the pull of obligation to an undeserving parent or mentor. —Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026

In the days leading up to the Nov. 1 shutdown, people were creating clips to push an agenda that women accepting federal aid are lazy and undeserving. —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025

Unless Freeze goes 4-0 in November and wins the Iron Bowl, his résumé would be wholly undeserving of a fourth season. —Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2025

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