as in justified
being what is called for by accepted standards of right and wrong
a well deserved promotion for a hard worker
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deserved
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
But the bigger purpose of this residency is to celebrate not just an album but a career that survived romantic breakups, solo stardom for Stefani, tentative reunions and now a deserved victory lap.
—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
26 June 2026
The name recognition isn’t there yet for DR Congo, but the African team deserved its 1-1 draw against Portugal.
—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deserved
Adjective
Reed faced deserved backlash for cruel personal attacks, including fat-shaming comments about actress Melissa McCarthy, reflecting his intolerance for unconventional or avant-garde work.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
But the bigger purpose of this residency is to celebrate not just an album but a career that survived romantic breakups, solo stardom for Stefani, tentative reunions and now a deserved victory lap.
—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Verb
Just like the Mets, the case could be made that Boston’s president of baseball operations, Craig Breslow, deserved the blame, but the skipper became the scapegoat instead.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
26 June 2026
The name recognition isn’t there yet for DR Congo, but the African team deserved its 1-1 draw against Portugal.
—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deserved
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deserved
Adjective
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The goal is to reach justified confidence as fast as possible.
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The answers to those questions are ‘not really’ and ‘probably not’, even if there’s justified criticism that Tuchel prioritised physicality, athleticism and versatility over technical quality.
Verb
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Two seasons later, Dryer earned his one and only Pro Bowl nod.
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Will Richard does all of the little things With the regular Warriors squad, Will Richard earned his minutes by doing all of the unglamorous things on the court.
Cite this Entry
“Deserved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserved. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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