English Reference

Word

deserving

Phoneticsde·serv·ing

US/dɪˈzɝvɪŋ/

UK/dɪzˈɜːvɪŋ/

Definition

adj. worthy of receiving something good, like help, money, or a prize, because of good behavior or hard work.

adj. meriting reward, assistance, or praise due to intrinsic merit or virtuous conduct.

Examples

“The charity helps deserving families in the local area.”

“After working overtime for three months, she felt she was deserving of a long holiday.”

“The committee struggled to allocate the limited scholarship funds among so many deserving candidates, all of whom demonstrated exceptional academic potential and financial need.”

Examples

simple

“The charity helps deserving families in the local area.”

contextual

“After working overtime for three months, she felt she was deserving of a long holiday.”

complex

“The committee struggled to allocate the limited scholarship funds among so many deserving candidates, all of whom demonstrated exceptional academic potential and financial need.”

Usage

Often used before a noun like 'cause', 'winner', or 'student'.

Real-World Examples

“Rangers were good, and clearly deserving of the win, but they didn't quite hit the levels of ruthlessness of a week ago at Ibrox.”
BBC News · 20 Sept 2026
“He says his former striker Harry Kane, who is at Bayern Munich, would be a deserving winner of this year’s Ballon d’Or.”
The Guardian · 10 Sept 2026

Synonyms

Antonyms

unworthyundeserving

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference