Synonyms

just deserts

Idioms

A deserved punishment or reward, as in He got his just deserts when Mary jilted him. This idiom employs desert in the sense of “what one deserves,” a usage dating from the 1300s but obsolete except in this expression.

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.

See Examples For:

just deserts

Americans are tough and have endured the hardship, and now, we’ll finally get our just deserts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026

However, the study said that there was no significant association between the belief in just deserts and where a person lived, their educational background or their job.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 20, 2022

There will be England fans who feel it is an overdue serving of just deserts.

From BBC ● Nov. 19, 2021

To some, his fall was just deserts for a flashy millionaire and gleeful self-promoter.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 4, 2021

It would get its just deserts soon enough.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

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