deserve
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
-
(tr) to be entitled to or worthy of; merit
-
obsolete to be worthy
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
deservesimple
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deservessimple
-
have deservedperfect
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has deservedperfect
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am deservingprogressive
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are deservingprogressive
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is deservingprogressive
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have been deservingperfect progressive
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has been deservingperfect progressive
Past
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deservedsimple
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had deservedperfect
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was deservingprogressive
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were deservingprogressive
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had been deservingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of deserve
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English deserven, from Anglo-French, Old French deservir, from Latin dēservīre “to devote oneself to the service of,” equivalent to dē- de- + servīre “to serve” ( see serve)
Explanation
We deserve things based on our actions. For example, many people believe murderers deserve the death penalty. Deserve is used in many ways, but it always carries a sense of balance or justice. If someone receives an award for their work, it means they deserve praise and attention. If you deserve a day off, it means you've been working hard and have earned a vacation. If you threw a book during class, you deserve a punishment of some kind. Many laws — and lots of arguments — are about deciding what different people deserve. It's often hard to tell.
Vocabulary lists containing deserve
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act I
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Schooled
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History is made in PA: Clinton's DNC Acceptance Speech
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"My residents should not have to wait for a serious incident at Craig yr Hesg before their concerns are treated with the urgency they deserve," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
However, Koch argues that they deserve serious investigation because they may expose gaps in current scientific explanations.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026
Some analysts say Chinese tech valuations are, if anything, more stretched than Korea’s, resting on a domestic-substitution story that assumes China’s champions deserve to trade like Nvidia’s ecosystem without Nvidia’s numbers behind them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
My worry is that one of his kids from his other marriage or one of his siblings will pop up and say they deserve his money.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
“Maybe so, Will. But you and your father don’t deserve more hardship.”
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
With the Moore sisters, Eagle Rock deserves the favorite’s role to win the City Section Open Division flag football title and compete with Birmingham and Westchester for an Open Division girls’ basketball title.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said, “Our community deserves full transparency and accountability,” and the killing is being investigated as a homicide.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
"I sincerely hope he proves those concerns unfounded, because the Intelligence Community deserves steadier leadership than it has received in recent months," Warner said in his statement.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Now the honest counterweight, because every scare story deserves one.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
“Are you actually suggesting, child, that a foul beast deserves the same regard as a human being?” he asked.
From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate
On the fourth day of his sentencing hearing, one woman said her parents, who paid £2,649 each for funeral plans, were not alive "to see the justice they deserved".
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Goods got cheaper every year, whether Washington deserved it or not.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
It came in handy when she combed through it to see if any of the men she dated deserved another shot.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The World Cup got the winners it deserved, and in Lamine Yamal it has a star of future tournaments.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
I was putting them in danger, and they deserved nothing but kindness from me.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
That still leaves five candidates deserving closer study.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
With his exit, they must realize there are others who are more deserving of attention and support.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
Harpootlian said Murdaugh is deserving of some concessions because of that, noting “this guy is not a serial killer, he’s not Ted Bundy. The only thing he’s been convicted of is stealing money.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
WBC 'interim' champion Kabayel has been waiting for his shot and is the most deserving of a crack at a world title.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
I have never thought about my deserving the good things that have happened in my life.
From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
