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
Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Here’s to another year of first-class culinary adventures, and the final five restaurants that have made December’s ‘where to eat and drink in London’ shortlist—each deserving of a first and/or last hurrah.
—Lela London, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Giovanni Malloy, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
These soldiers’ stories are just as deserving of recognition as the members of the Carolina Corps—individuals who had to carve out a place for themselves in a system that was never designed to include them.
—Kinsey Gidick, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deserving 
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Noun
In the late 1800s, local elites attempted to rationalize charitable giving by forming charitable societies to act as umbrella organizations that could weed out the undeserving from the deserving.
—Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Here’s to another year of first-class culinary adventures, and the final five restaurants that have made December’s ‘where to eat and drink in London’ shortlist—each deserving of a first and/or last hurrah.
—Lela London, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Ultimately, the committee gave SMU the nod over Alabama, sparking ongoing debate over which team was truly more deserving.
—Giovanni Malloy, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
These soldiers’ stories are just as deserving of recognition as the members of the Carolina Corps—individuals who had to carve out a place for themselves in a system that was never designed to include them.
—Kinsey Gidick, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deserving
Dictionary Entries Near deserving
Cite this Entry
“Deserving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deserving. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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