- present participle of deserve.
deserving
Americanadjective
-
qualified for or having a claim to reward, assistance, etc., because of one's actions, qualities, or situation.
the deserving poor;
a deserving applicant.
-
meriting; worthy.
a criminal deserving of a lifetime sentence.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deserving
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.
Deserving special scorn are the injection-molded plastic skirts biting into the bottom of the seat cushion.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
Deserving alternate: Lacy has made a career playing nice, charming guys, so it was a surprise and, it turns out, a great pleasure to see him as Shane, the privileged jerk in “The White Lotus.”
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2022
She said the two tattoos on his legs — “Punish the Deserving, Protect the Innocent” is the motto of the Tomahawks, 23rd Infantry Regiment, in which Nelson served.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 11, 2022
Deserving defendants, he said, get turned away because courts are too full or prosecutors object.
From Slate • Jun. 1, 2018
Once upon a Time there was a Lovely and Deserving Girl named Clara, who was getting so near Thirty that she didn't want to Talk about it.
From More Fables by Ade, George
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.
