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
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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
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Recent Examples of deserving
Jack Smart, People.com, 3 Mar. 2025
And yet, the film has a pretty expert ensemble — Kevin Spacey won the Oscar, but Annette Bening was even more deserving — and Conrad Hall’s photography captures all the shiny surfaces that contrast with the characters’ anguished inner worlds.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 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
The other nominees were incredibly deserving and delivered great performances this year.
—Jack Smart, People.com, 3 Mar. 2025
And yet, the film has a pretty expert ensemble — Kevin Spacey won the Oscar, but Annette Bening was even more deserving — and Conrad Hall’s photography captures all the shiny surfaces that contrast with the characters’ anguished inner worlds.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 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
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That muscular electric motor’s torque is the real difference that makes this E-class a worthy AMG tuner car for those who value the benefits of exemplary performance but don’t need a snarling beast of a high-performance car.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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Ladd Keith, director of the Heat Resilience Initiative at the University of Arizona, said trees are a worthy investment.—
Eva Tesfaye,
NPR,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Baby Reindeer and Hacks tied for the second-higest tally of TV wins, with each project earning two awards each.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
6 Jan. 2025
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Drivers earning less than $50,000 annually or enrolled in certain government assistance programs can apply for a 50% discount on the $9 congestion toll, which activates after the first 10 trips in a calendar month.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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He was awarded a citation for courage and meritorious service after an explosion in the USS Leyte aircraft carrier’s port catapult machinery room while it was stationed in the South Boston Naval Annex, his family said.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Mar. 2025
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Which among these is the most meritorious, and therefore worthy of the $525,000 grand prize?—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
21 Oct. 2014
Adjective
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And snood size is the quickest, easiest way for a hen to gauge whether the gobbler strutting his stuff in front of her is a good genetic candidate for her future poults.—
Alice Jones Webb,
Outdoor Life,
21 Mar. 2025
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The city of Providence continues to be good to Pitino, who famously led Providence College to the Final Four in 1987 toward the beginning of his storied career.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deserving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserving. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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