very deserved

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "very deserved" is not standard in written English and may sound awkward to some readers.
It can be used to emphasize the degree to which something is deserved, but it is more common to use "well-deserved" instead. Example: "After years of hard work, her promotion was very deserved."

News & Media

Sports

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

"She is a very deserved winner".

The Guardian - Sport

But not before Fowler rattles in a very deserved birdie.

The Guardian - Sport

"We are very, very deserved to be in this final.

The Guardian - Sport

"She was an immense talent, was put under stifling scrutiny, and ended up accomplishing so much that she is a very deserved Hall of Famer," Gimelstob wrote.

The New York Times

After gaining an unneeded booking during a mild altercation with the Celta players, Ramos secured a very deserved second yellow for a challenge which possibly warranted a straight red.

The Guardian - Sport

"We dominated the first half, scored a very deserved goal.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

"He's very deserving.

The New York Times - Sports

Some of our patients were very young, very deserving.

The New York Times - Science

Malice was our third No 1 [for three weeks, in February 1982], which I thought was very deserving.

The Guardian - Music

Margaret Aspinall, the chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said she was "delighted" that Scraton had been honoured by his home city, while Trevor Hicks, whose daughters Sarah, 19, and Victoria, 15, died in the tragedy, said it was "very deserving".

The Guardian

All of the charities in the Smackdown are very deserving.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While grammatically correct, consider using "well-deserved" as it is more common and idiomatic in English.

Common error

Avoid overusing "very" to modify "deserved". While it's acceptable, it can sound redundant. Instead, opt for stronger adverbs like "richly", "thoroughly", or simply use the more common "well-deserved."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very deserved" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun, indicating that someone or something has earned or merited a particular outcome. This is supported by examples found in Ludwig where it modifies "winner", "birdie", "goal", and "point".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Sports

33%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "very deserved" is an adjective phrase used to express that something has been rightfully earned. While grammatically acceptable, it is less common than the alternative "well deserved". Ludwig's analysis shows it appears mainly in news and media contexts, often related to sports. Despite its correctness, using stronger adverbs or the more common "well deserved" will make your writing sound more natural. Ludwig AI indicates that although acceptable, it is less common.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

well deserved

A more common and idiomatic alternative, using "well" to convey the deserved nature of something.

highly deserved

Replaces "very" with "highly", intensifying the degree to which something is deserved.

justly deserved

Replaces "very" with "justly", emphasizing the fairness and righteousness of something being deserved.

thoroughly deserved

Employs "thoroughly" to indicate that something is completely and unquestionably deserved.

amply deserved

Replaces "very" with "amply", suggesting that something is fully and sufficiently deserved.

richly deserved

Uses "richly" to emphasize the abundance or high degree to which something is deserved.

quite deserved

Substitutes "very" with "quite", indicating a considerable degree of deservedness.

genuinely deserved

Uses "genuinely" to highlight the authenticity and sincerity of something being deserved.

fully deserved

Replaces "very" with "fully", indicating something is completely deserved.

truly deserved

Replaces "very" with "truly", suggesting something is certainly deserved.

FAQs

What's a more common alternative to "very deserved"?

The phrase "well deserved" is generally preferred and more frequently used than "very deserved".

How can I emphasize that something is truly merited without using "very deserved"?

You can use alternatives such as "richly deserved", "thoroughly deserved", or "amply deserved" to convey a strong sense of deservingness.

Is there a difference in meaning between "very deserved" and "well deserved"?

While both phrases express that something is merited, "well deserved" is more idiomatic and commonly used, often implying a sense of satisfaction or appropriateness in the deservingness. "Very deserved" is less common and may sound slightly awkward.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "very deserved"?

Although less common, "very deserved" can be used in contexts where you want to emphasize the extent to which someone or something has earned a particular outcome, though "well deserved" or other alternatives might be better choices depending on your audience and specific goal.