has been deserved

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has been deserved" is not correct in standard written English.
It is not typically used because "deserved" is usually employed in a different grammatical structure, often as "has deserved" or "was deserved." Example: "The recognition he received has been deserved for his hard work and dedication."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"I think some of it has been deserved," Mr. Obama said, citing poor policymaking at the Chicago Housing Authority and Chicago public schools.

The New York Times

Footballers have received a lot of negative press the past, most of which has been deserved.

BBC

I've written before that while some of it, perhaps even lots of it, has been deserved, much of it has not.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

If truth be told, it would not have been deserved.

The Guardian - Sport

— The snickers about Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops's reputation as Big Game Bob had been deserved.

The New York Times - Sports

That reputation might have been deserved, but it was also the product of the same self-confidence that made him such an effective and feared scorer.

The New York Times

Severe periods of underperformance in the past have been deserved, they say, and were not just a matter of risk aversion.

The New York Times

Of course, not all results this season have been deserved, which brings us on to the somewhat vexed issue of Expected Goals.

The Guardian - Sport

"I think a point today would've been deserved.

BBC

"A win and a clean sheet would have been deserved and it's two points dropped".

BBC

It would have been deserved reward for a spirited effort, but after referral to the television match official, the score was ruled out for a knock-on.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing whether an outcome was justified, consider using stronger verbs like 'warranted' or 'merited' to convey a sense of appropriateness or fairness.

Common error

A common mistake is using "has been deserved" when the past tense "was deserved" is grammatically correct, particularly when referring to a specific event or outcome that occurred in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been deserved" attempts to function as a stative verb phrase, aiming to express that something is in a state of being merited. However, Ludwig AI indicates this phrase isn't standard English, typically requiring restructuring for grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "has been deserved" is grammatically questionable and rarely used in standard English. Ludwig AI suggests that it's not correct, and the limited examples found primarily appear in news and media contexts. For improved clarity and correctness, it's recommended to use alternative phrases like "was deserved", "has deserved", or "was warranted" depending on the intended meaning and tense. While the intent is usually clear, sticking to grammatically sound alternatives strengthens your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has deserved

Corrects the verb form to reflect proper tense and subject-verb agreement.

was deserved

Changes the tense and voice of the verb to align with standard usage.

was warranted

Replaces 'deserved' with a synonym implying justification or necessity.

was merited

Similar to 'warranted', indicating that something was justified by the circumstances.

was earned

Focuses on the effort or actions that led to a particular outcome.

was justified

Implies that there was a valid reason or basis for something to occur.

has been warranted

Uses a passive construction to express that something has justification.

was appropriate

Suggests that the outcome was suitable or fitting given the situation.

was fitting

Similar to 'appropriate', conveying a sense of suitability or harmony.

was due

Indicates that something was owed or expected based on prior actions or conditions.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say something was earned or merited?

Instead of "has been deserved", use "was deserved" or "has deserved", depending on the context. For example, "The praise was deserved" or "She has deserved the award".

Are there alternatives to "has been deserved" that might be more appropriate?

Yes, consider using alternatives like "was warranted", "was merited", or "was earned" to convey a similar meaning with better grammatical correctness.

What's the difference between "was deserved" and "has deserved"?

"Was deserved" refers to a specific past event or situation where something was merited at that time. "Has deserved" implies that someone's actions over a period of time have earned them something.

Why is "has been deserved" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "has been deserved" is not standard in English because the verb 'deserve' typically requires a direct object or a different construction. Ludwig AI confirms that standard writing does not employ this phrase.