Meaning & use

deserve

verb·Everyday

To have earned or to be worthy of something, whether a reward or a consequence.

See it in a sentence

After months of hard work, she deserves the promotion she just received.

He deserves credit for organizing the entire charity event almost by himself.

A note on using this word

Deserve is usually followed directly by a noun or infinitive ("deserves a break," "deserves to win"), not a gerund.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

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