deserved

[dih-zurvd]

adjective

1. justly or rightly earned; merited.

   a deserved increase in salary.

Other Word Forms

• deservedness noun
• half-deserved adjective
• half-deservedness noun
• undeserved adjective
• well-deserved adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of deserved¹

First recorded in 1545–55; deserve + -ed ²

Example Sentences

“I knew that I was part of something really important and that it deserved all of me,” she says.

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As a superficial snob who grew up with golden retrievers that deserved Pantene commercials, I had to know: Why are we so into ugly dogs now?

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Speaking of the members who have died, he added: "It's sad that they never got to receive pensions that they deserved."

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"Eddie deserved to grow and learn from his mistakes and discover the world. You denied him the chance," she said.

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When asked if he deserved it, Ruth replied: “Why not? I had a better year than he did.”

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Related Words

• earned www.thesaurus.com
• proper 
• rightful