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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Recent Examples of deserved
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Jan. 2025
Adrian is one of the hardest working executives in the industry and his retirement is much deserved.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 16 Jan. 2025
Lily Templeton, WWD, 16 Dec. 2024
This book is true crime and a murder mystery at its finest because of the extensive investigations and lucid writing about the facts of this magnificent horse’s tragic death — a horse who deserved so much better.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for deserved
Adjective
This multipart victory lap is both deserved and de rigueur for a late-night juggernaut that’s been in love with itself since Year One.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Jan. 2025
Adrian is one of the hardest working executives in the industry and his retirement is much deserved.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
Fashion has taken a lot of heat — and much of it well deserved — for being focused too much on surface and not enough on substance.
—Lily Templeton, WWD, 16 Dec. 2024
This book is true crime and a murder mystery at its finest because of the extensive investigations and lucid writing about the facts of this magnificent horse’s tragic death — a horse who deserved so much better.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for deserved
Cite this Entry
“Deserved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserved. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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