Synonyms of deserve

deserve

verb

di-ˈzərv 

as in to earn

to be or make worthy of (as a reward or punishment)

the team really deserved that victory after the way they played

Synonyms & Similar Words

• earn
• merit
• qualify
• entitle
• rate

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deserve

But the lethality of deportation, an agent’s primary tool for punishment, deserves recasting. — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

Eleven communities and a forest preserve would be affected by the proposed route, and residents in each deserve a meaningful voice in the process. — Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026

Such generosity in defeat is rare in today’s political climate, and Stevens deserves credit for demonstrating it. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026

Every American deserves to know that their doctor was trained at a medical school that puts medicine first. — Ian Kingsbury, Sun Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026