Synonyms

deserve

American

[dih-zurv] / dɪˈzɜrv /

verb (used with object)

deserved, deserving

to merit, be qualified for, or have a claim to (reward, assistance, punishment, etc.) because of actions, qualities, or situation.

to deserve exile; to deserve charity; a theory that deserves consideration.

Synonyms:

justify, warrant, rate

verb (used without object)

deserved, deserving

to be worthy of, qualified for, or have a claim to reward, punishment, recompense, etc..

to reward him as he deserves; an idea deserving of study.

deserve British

/ dɪˈzɜːvɪdnɪs, dɪˈzɜːv /

verb

(tr) to be entitled to or worthy of; merit
obsolete to be worthy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

deserve Idioms

see one good turn deserves another.

Other Word Forms

deserved adjective
deservedness noun
deserver noun
predeserve verb (used with object)

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing deserve

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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.

"We deserve a great pat on the back," added Higgins, who admitted he never thought he would still be playing so well at this age.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

All of them deserve a shot at opening their doors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

“Music artists deserve to compete on a level playing field, not one distorted by bribes, and listeners deserve transparency in what they are being recommended,” Paxton said.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

There were always intracaucus grumblings about her favoritism to him, and how he didn’t deserve any of it.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

“You’re doing a job, so you deserve to be compensated. I pay my friend Minnie fifteen dollars an hour when she watches Lily, but she’s a retired teacher. Is ten OK with you?”

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023