as in worthy
having sufficient worth or merit to receive one's honor, esteem, or reward
gifts donated to deserving children every Christmas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in earning
to be or make worthy of (as a reward or punishment)
the team really deserved that victory after the way they played
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of deserving
Joseph Person, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
No more debating whether a spot should go to the most deserving team or the team that would be favored in a hypothetical matchup.
—Ralph D. Russo, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024
Goldman said the cruise line has bettered its business and is deserving of a higher price-to-earnings multiple.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for deserving
Adjective
When these guys play in big games and perform in big games and do things that catch people’s attention, to me that’s deserving.
—Joseph Person, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
No more debating whether a spot should go to the most deserving team or the team that would be favored in a hypothetical matchup.
—Ralph D. Russo, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
The stock is deserving of its hefty premium due to the company’s share gains and dependability with a subscription model.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024
Goldman said the cruise line has bettered its business and is deserving of a higher price-to-earnings multiple.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for deserving
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deserving
Adjective
-
And if real silk isn’t in your budget at the moment, these are a worthy consolation prize.—
Jessica Kasparian,
SELF,
27 Feb. 2025
-
President Trump should be on the verge of a significant victory in his worthy campaign to rein in the administrative state — i.e., to restore constitutional order.—
Andrew C. McCarthy,
National Review,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
After earning its first-ever nomination for season 3 at last year's Globes, season 4 of Slow Horses brought in three more nominations for the thriller series, as stars Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden were nominated for their roles as Jackson Lamb and River Cartwright, respectively.—
Julia Moore,
People.com,
6 Jan. 2025
-
What were your first steps toward earning one of the coolest titles in the world – Malt Master of Glenfiddich?—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The award of meritorious service is given to those who have gone above and beyond in service to their school communities.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2025
-
In conclusion, time is running out for taxpayers to file meritorious claims, which include more than claims where eligibility is absolutely certain.—
Tom Cullinan,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
For most people, a single thorough cleaning of all their records followed by cleaning every 10 to 20 plays per side is a good start.—
Parker Hall,
WIRED,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Dior Forever Skin Perfect Foundation Stick, $52 Ahead, find the nine medium-coverage foundations that have a permanent place in makeup artists’ kits (and in Allure editors’ hearts) and prepare to put your best face forward.—
Jenny Berg,
Allure,
8 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deserving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserving. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share