as in justified
being what is called for by accepted standards of right and wrong
a well deserved promotion for a hard worker
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Recent Examples of deserved
William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025
And while the attention for both is well deserved, there’s so much more to the country than those two spotlight-grabbing cities.
—Christina Liao, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2025
Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
Some lieutenant governors deserved their pay as agency heads or as effective advisers to governors, notably under Govs.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deserved
Adjective
The internet is demanding justice for a dog who was snubbed from a rightfully deserved treat after her owner got distracted.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025
And while the attention for both is well deserved, there’s so much more to the country than those two spotlight-grabbing cities.
—Christina Liao, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
The Canucks deserved to be down by a goal or two, but Kevin Lankinen’s sharp play kept the score tied in the first period.
—Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
Some lieutenant governors deserved their pay as agency heads or as effective advisers to governors, notably under Govs.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deserved
Cite this Entry
“Deserved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserved. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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