deserving
Americanadjective
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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.
“I’ve known Lisa for nearly three decades and believe that she is beyond deserving of this incredible honor,” fellow statue honoree and Lakers great Magic Johnson said in a news release.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
"I want people to know, no matter what, you are deserving of life, you are loved and you should stay."
From BBC • May 13, 2026
In Kentucky, lawmakers recently passed a bill classifying TV-viewing patterns as “sensitive data” deserving of broader legal protections and transparency measures.
From Slate • May 3, 2026
Financial-disclosure frameworks at the Securities and Exchange Commission, and parallel regimes across the European Union and U.K., treated these damage projections as credible scientific findings deserving regulatory weight.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
It hexed the boys, who would or would not ask me to dance, and made them less scary and as familiar and deserving of benevolence as girls.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
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.
