deserve

verb

(transitive) To be entitled to, as a result of past actions; to be worthy to have.

(obsolete) To earn, win.

(obsolete) To reward, to give in return for service.

(obsolete) To serve; to treat; to benefit.

Roots

servioserv- · Latin · serve

Synonyms & related words for deserve

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of deserve. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to deserve

Explore words related to deserve — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include merit, deservingly, unmeriting, deservedly, undeserved, undeserving, earned, meritoriousness. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Where does deserve come from?

The word deserve breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root serv-, from Latin servio (“serve”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.