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
Noun
It's remembered for Sharon Stone uncrossing her legs with a smile, but the whole movie has a naughtiness that's of a piece (and deserving of a rewatch). Joshua Rothkopf, EW.com, 24 Jan. 2024 And how telling that the accusation is the same one that rabid antisemites have been making for years: that the Jews are, and have long been, the real Nazis — guilty of humanity’s worst crimes and deserving of its worst punishments. Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 19 Jan. 2024 And there just are not enough Nobel Prizes to go around to all the deserving. Jeffrey I. Seeman, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2023 Kimberly Flynn, director of 9/11 Environmental Action, a nonprofit that guides survivors to access the available health programs, believes that the cumbersome paperwork and other requirements to qualify for care have blocked many of the deserving from signing on. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 26 July 2023 But while the Horned Frogs won't take anyone by surprise, several factors point to them remaining a factor in the Big 12 and deserving of a place in the Top 25. Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2023 Sounds like a school deserving of one more walk down the Big 12 welcome mat. Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas News, 26 July 2023 Colorism, or color bias, is a system of inequality in which lighter skin on nonwhite people is considered more beautiful, socially acceptable and deserving of privileges often denied to people with darker skin. Char Adams, NBC News, 14 July 2023 Get a pair of Home Depot's 8-foot giant-sized stack of 10 glowing pumpkins, complete with LED lights ($199), and put them on either side of your front door for decor deserving of best in the neighborhood. Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2023
Adjective
As both a designer and entrepreneur, Vitto seems an outstandingly deserving candidate for further consideration. Luke Leitch, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2024 And while Franklin’s introduction into the Peanuts universe will never be overlooked, this special honors the Armstrong family in such a deserving way. Tanay Howard, Parents, 15 Feb. 2024 That was a deserving honor after Ward led the NFL with 23 passes defended. Jeff Fedotin, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024 Then, keep scrolling to shop for additional products from the brand deserving of a spot in your skincare lineup. Averi Baudler, Peoplemag, 7 Feb. 2024 Instead, a wing of the GOP has attempted to portray at least some of those who were part of the riot as deserving of pardons. Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2024 Few athletes will be more deserving of their place at this year’s Games, which get underway in July, than May, and few will have had such an onerous, circuitous path to get there. Amanda Davies, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 But Steelers kicker Chris Boswell is more deserving for this season. USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 Originally known to be part of the Short's Hoppy Holidays pack of years past, Goodnight Bodacious is well deserving of its own six-pack, with malty, toasty flavors to go along with the hoppy bitterness of an IPA. Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deserving.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near deserving

Cite this Entry

“Deserving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deserving. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!