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
-
deservessimple
-
have deservedperfect
-
has deservedperfect
-
am deservingprogressive
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are deservingprogressive
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is deservingprogressive
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have been deservingperfect progressive
-
has been deservingperfect progressive
Past
-
deservedsimple
-
had deservedperfect
-
was deservingprogressive
-
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:
True abuse must never be minimized, and victims deserve safety.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
“The American people don’t send people to Washington to get rich, and they deserve confidence that elected representatives are serving the people and not themselves,” he said.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
China, Japan, South Korea and dozens of others were deemed to deserve the higher 12.5 percent tariff.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Ahead of that meeting, the PM said: "For 40 years, power and resources have been sucked into the centre, and too many communities have felt forgotten, without the attention and investment they deserve."
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
"And I deserve it as much as anyone."
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
Increased GLP-1 levels were also linked to better grip strength, suggesting a possible connection between gut health and muscle function that researchers believe deserves further study.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
"Every couple deserves to start their journey together with an unforgettable day that reflects their beliefs, their personalities and the lives they plan to build together," Lammy wrote.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
“I think people are recognizing that deserves more attention and understanding.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
The public deserves far more detail than that.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
“Well, your dyedushka and I figured a girl brave enough to stand up to a mad Varangian probably deserves a space for herself. Don’t you think?”
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
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
“Gregg is so completely un-Hollywood,” Wilde recalls during a recent video call, “that even just having a coffee at this place deserved to be remarked upon in a really hilarious way.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
It yielded nothing, which was what it deserved.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
After a hard day’s travel and nothing to eat but sludge, I thought I definitely deserved to eat Martha’s meat pie.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
That’s a common enough type, deserving of empathy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
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
Dadi offered him some of her Parle-G biscuits, which she only does to the most deserving visitors—and Oso.
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
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.
