deserving

The word “deserving” means worthy of reward, help, or praise. In plain terms, someone or something that has earned praise, help, or reward.

“Deserving” is pronounced dih-ZUR-vihng (/dɪˈzɝvɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “deserving” used in a sentence: “The charity supports deserving students who couldn't otherwise afford university.”

The opposite of “deserving” — its antonyms — is undeserving.

“Deserving” is an adjective.

“Deserving” is an uncommon word in modern English.

"Deserving" focuses on having earned something through actions, effort, or circumstances, as in a deserving winner. "Worthy" is broader and can describe inherent value or merit even without a specific action behind it, such as a worthy cause. In practice the two overlap heavily and are often used interchangeably.

"Deserving" is commonly followed by "of" plus a noun, as in "deserving of praise" or "deserving of help," which is the more formal construction. It can also be used without "of" directly before a noun, such as "a deserving cause," so both patterns are correct depending on sentence structure.

"Deserving" appears in both registers, but the "deserving of X" pattern feels more formal and is common in written or official contexts, such as charity appeals or legal language. In casual speech, people more often use a simpler phrase like "deserves it" instead of the adjective form.