de·serv·ing
di-ˈzər-viŋ 
1
: having good qualities that deserve praise, support, etc. : meritorious, worthy
rewarding deserving workers
scholarships for deserving students
2
: appropriately having or being given something specified
—used with of
a proposal deserving of support [=a proposal that deserves support]
a criminal deserving of punishment
deservingly
adverb
deservingness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of deserving in a Sentence
Adjective
He's a very deserving young man.
The church provides aid to deserving families.
Recent Examples on the Web
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 12 June 2024
The 2023 list welcomed the new pop-up restaurants and cocktail bars that have transformed the local dining economy into one that is exciting and full of fresh talent deserving of recognition.
—Lyndsay C. Green, Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024
Bob Kerrey, Washington Post, 24 June 2024
There are other limited shows worth advocating for, like the Steven Soderbergh–produced Full Circle, which features an incredibly deserving Claire Danes lead performance.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deserving 
Noun
The Christie’s sale this week may not have matched that impressive total, but the Crosby-Schøyen Codex is a manuscript deserving of its multimillion-dollar price tag—though some may say owning one of the earliest books in existence is simply priceless.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 12 June 2024
The 2023 list welcomed the new pop-up restaurants and cocktail bars that have transformed the local dining economy into one that is exciting and full of fresh talent deserving of recognition.
—Lyndsay C. Green, Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The 90 minutes allotted to Thursday’s debate between President Biden and former president Donald Trump obviously won’t accommodate every deserving subject.
—Bob Kerrey, Washington Post, 24 June 2024
There are other limited shows worth advocating for, like the Steven Soderbergh–produced Full Circle, which features an incredibly deserving Claire Danes lead performance.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deserving
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deserving.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near deserving
Cite this Entry
“Deserving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deserving. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share