deserve

1 of 2

verb

de·​serve di-ˈzərv How to pronounce deserve (audio)
deserved; deserving
Synonyms of deservenext

transitive verb

: to be worthy of : merit
deserves a medal
doesn't deserve a second chance
The idea deserves consideration.
They deserve to be punished.

intransitive verb

: to be worthy, fit, or suitable for some reward or requital
… have become recognized as they deserve.—T. S. Eliot
a worse punishment than he deserved
deserver noun

deserver

2 of 2

noun

de·​serv·​er
-və(r)
plural -s
: one who deserves

Synonyms of deserve

Relevance

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of deserve in a Sentence

Verb the team really deserved that victory after the way they played
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
This case is small enough for spontaneous games by the lake, in an airport lounge, or after a long lunch that stretches into sunset cocktails—even the simplest games deserve first-class treatment. — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2026 Speraw believes volleyball deserves to be part of that same national conversation. — Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026 Those words have taken on a chilling resonance as commenters debate whether Hilton deserves sympathy. — Krystie Lee Yandoli, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026 OpenAI and Anthropic deserve credit for disclosing these incidents, however, a system that depends on voluntary transparency is not a safety system. — Andrew Freedman, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deserve

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English deserven, disserven "to be worthy of, attain what one deserves," borrowed from Anglo-French deservir, desservir, deserver "to deserve, merit, earn, be entitled to" (also continental Old & Middle French), going back to Medieval Latin dēservīre "to serve, officiate (at mass), hold land by service, earn, deserve," going back to Latin, "to spend one's time in, devote oneself (to pursuits, interests), be submissive to, comply with," from dē- de- + servīre "to perform duties for (a master) in the capacity of a slave, act in subservience, be at the service of" — more at serve entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of deserve was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing deserve

Rhymes for deserve

See All Rhymes for deserve

Browse Nearby Words

desertworthy
deserve
deserve a medal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deserve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deserve. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

deserve

verb
de·​serve di-ˈzərv How to pronounce deserve (audio)
deserved; deserving
: to be worthy of : merit
deserves another chance

More from Merriam-Webster on deserve

Nglish: Translation of deserve for Spanish Speakers

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