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

Tebas added that Spanish football "deserved to look to the future with ambition, not fear" and that the league will continue attempt to play matches overseas.

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The mother of an autistic man who was told he had to stop stacking shelves at a Waitrose store where he had worked as a volunteer for years has said he "deserved better".

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She added that the families deserved answers, and that those who "died serving their country deserve to be honoured not subjected to continuing deception from the MoD".

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It’s long struggled to gain the respect it deserved among Western diners, but now it’s finally breaking into fine dining ranks.

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Others argued and tried to make a case that their clothes deserved more.

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Related Words

• earned www.thesaurus.com
• proper 
• rightful