deserve
verb (used with object)
to merit, be qualified for, or have a claim to (reward, assistance, punishment, etc.) because of actions, qualities, or situation.
were deserving
-
past progressiveof deserve.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Doctors were the ones who had refused to act reasonably and denied help to the patients that the court thought were deserving, like Amanda Zurawski herself.
From Slate ● Jun. 3, 2024
They still earned a spot in the CFP bracket and as Saturday’s win over Michigan proved, they were deserving.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 1, 2023
He declared that scientists and intellectuals were deserving of respect because modernization could not proceed without their contributions.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022
Everton were deserving winners in this fierce derby as Liverpool struggled to make an impact and could not build on their stunning opening-weekend victory over defending champions Chelsea.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2022
There were many torn and battered old books here, and most of them were deserving of the neglect into which they had fallen.
From Despair's Last Journey by David Christie Murray
