# deserving

/dɪˈzɝvɪŋ/ (US) · /dɪzˈɜːvɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/deserving
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. worthy of help or praise

adjective · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: meriting reward, assistance, or praise due to intrinsic merit or virtuous conduct.

- The charity provides small grants to deserving students who cannot afford their textbooks.
- The committee struggled to select a single winner from such a deserving pool of candidates, all of whom had demonstrated exceptional community service.

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

## 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.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.