mostly deserved

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mostly deserved" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is largely warranted or justified, but not entirely so. Example: "The criticism he received for his actions was mostly deserved, given the circumstances."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

And it was mostly deserved.

The Guardian - Sport

For years, that protection was mostly deserved.

The New York Times

Her conservative reputation was, and is, mostly deserved.

The New York Times

Summary: This is only slightly mean-spirited and mostly deserved, considering this girl has mispronounced Bill Clinton's name, let the F-bomb slip on live TV, fell on her face on her way to accept her Oscar, flipped off the press, and come close to hitting a family with her car because she thought she saw Honey Boo Boo.

Huffington Post

An increasingly timeless figure, as focused on the future of civilization today as the nation's oldest governor as he was when he was its youngest after his first election 40 years ago, Brown is getting a tremendous amount of credit, mostly deserved, for turning around California's once crisis-plagued state government by cutting the budget, raising revenue, and encouraging economic growth.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

The company gets credit, and mostly deserves it, for being upfront with its business affairs and for running a Web portal that includes much useful, noncommercial information and commentary besides the sales-booking engines.

The New York Times

So it goes for commercial music's prom queens and kings, the mostly deserving, occasionally not royalty who will glide across the red carpet, shimmering while banking social media followers amid relentless online chatter.

Los Angeles Times

Both books have received mostly negative reviews — largely deserved.

The New York Times - Books

Drawing on the work of Philip Tetlock, a psychologist whose findings on the predictions of political pundits (they're mostly bunk) deserved to kill off that industry, Mr Silver finds reason to elevate one species of forecaster, the fox, over another, the hedgehog.

The Economist

But mostly, Maris deserves induction because he accomplished the superhuman feat of hitting 61 homers in one season.

Forbes

Doomed to a very limited release due to its mostly-deserved NC-17 rating, this William Friedkin gem is a particularly nasty bit of old-school southern gothic film noir.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "mostly deserved" when you want to indicate that something is largely, but not entirely, warranted. It acknowledges a degree of justification while leaving room for nuance or exceptions.

Common error

Avoid using "mostly deserved" when the outcome is clearly and completely justified or unjustified. Using it in such cases can create confusion or imply uncertainty where none exists.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mostly deserved" functions as an adverbial modifier that qualifies the adjective "deserved". It indicates the degree to which something is warranted or justified. As Ludwig AI explains, it suggests a large but not complete justification.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

29%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "mostly deserved" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to indicate that something is largely, but not completely, justified or warranted. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it functions as an adverbial modifier, expressing a degree of qualification. Analysis of various sources reveals its frequent use in News & Media and Science contexts, reflecting a neutral register suitable for analytical and objective writing. When seeking alternatives, consider phrases like "largely justified" or "mainly warranted" to convey similar nuances of partial justification.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

largely justified

Emphasizes the extent of justification, suggesting a slightly more formal tone.

mainly warranted

Highlights the principal reason for deserving something, similar in meaning but with a focus on the main cause.

primarily merited

Stresses the earned aspect, indicating that the positive or negative consequence was chiefly earned.

substantially justified

Indicates a considerable degree of justification, adding a layer of emphasis.

considerably warranted

Similar to 'substantially justified' but using 'warranted' to emphasize the authorization or legitimacy.

fairly earned

Focuses on the fairness aspect, suggesting that the outcome was reasonably earned through effort or action.

justly gained

Highlights the justice in obtaining something, often implying moral or ethical correctness.

rightfully obtained

Emphasizes the rightfulness of the outcome, similar to 'justly gained' but with a stronger legal or moral connotation.

largely attributable

Focuses on the cause-and-effect relationship, indicating that the outcome is primarily due to a specific factor.

predominantly justified

Implies that the justification is more evident than any potential counter-arguments.

FAQs

How can I use "mostly deserved" in a sentence?

You can use "mostly deserved" to indicate that something is largely warranted, but not entirely. For example, "The criticism he received was "mostly deserved", given his actions."

What can I say instead of "mostly deserved"?

You can use alternatives like "largely justified", "mainly warranted", or "primarily merited" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "mostly deserved" or "deserved mostly"?

"Mostly deserved" is the more common and natural-sounding order. "Deserved mostly" is grammatically correct but less frequently used and may sound awkward in some contexts.

What's the difference between "mostly deserved" and "fully deserved"?

"Mostly deserved" implies that there's some reservation or partial justification, while "fully deserved" indicates complete and total justification. The level of justification differs.