wholly deserved

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "wholly deserved" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize that something is completely warranted or justified, often in the context of praise or criticism. Example: "After years of hard work and dedication, her promotion was wholly deserved."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

The warmth shown across these and other puzzles is palpable and wholly deserved.

The Guardian

The Portuguese president, Jorge Sampaio, said the prize was "a just reward" and "wholly deserved".

The Guardian

Was this wholly deserved, given the uncertainty he has created by promising a referendum on a reformed British membership of the European Union by 2017?

The Economist

"This was for him …" was all he managed by way of continuation, before burying his face in his cap for a wholly deserved sob.

The Guardian - Sport

Afterwards, Harnoncourt was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society gold medal, first struck in 1870 in honour of Beethoven's centenary and wholly deserved.

The Guardian

Russia were surprisingly sent home from the European Championship by the combined might of Greece and the Czech Republic, the former pulling off an unexpected yet wholly deserved victory here and the latter claiming the other qualification spot with a win against Poland.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

If Jews can be understood by the Catholic Church as having their independent religious integrity, wholly deserving of respect, so can other faiths.

The New Yorker

The writing is up there with Morton's other wondrous work, People Like Us, and wholly deserves primetime BBC2, not this hidden nook on digital.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

It's exciting to see Jupp attack subjects worthy of his critical intelligence and wholly deserving – far more than wheelie suitcases – of his moral outrage.

The Guardian

A player that contributed the equivalent of $25 million to his team's performance, for instance, would unambiguously be worth more than the veteran maximum contract and would be wholly deserving of the superstar label.

The New York Times

Doerr's novel, about a blind French refugee and a German orphan whose paths collide during the second world war, is epic, emotionally generous, and wholly deserving of the prize.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "wholly deserved" to strongly emphasize that an achievement, praise, or reward is completely justified and appropriate, particularly when it follows significant effort or merit. For example: "The team's victory, after a season of hard work, was "wholly deserved".

Common error

Avoid using "wholly deserved" in casual or informal settings, as the phrase's formality can sound stilted. Opt for simpler alternatives like "well-deserved" or "fully earned" in everyday conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "wholly deserved" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun. It serves to emphasize that something is completely justified or merited. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically sound and effectively conveys a strong sense of deservingness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "wholly deserved" is an adjective phrase used to emphasize that something is completely justified or merited. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly found in news and media contexts. While versatile, it is best suited for neutral to slightly formal registers. Alternative phrases like "entirely justified" or "completely warranted" can be used, but "wholly deserved" offers a specific emphasis on the deserving nature of the subject. Remember that while strong and effective, overuse in informal contexts can sound stilted.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

entirely justified

Replaces "deserved" with a synonym that emphasizes justification.

completely warranted

Substitutes "deserved" with "warranted", highlighting the justification for something.

fully justified

Similar to "entirely justified" but with a slightly different emphasis.

absolutely justified

Emphasizes the certainty of the justification.

thoroughly merited

Replaces "deserved" with "merited", implying that something was earned.

richly deserved

Adds a sense of abundance to the deserving nature of something.

amply justified

Indicates that there's more than enough reason for something to be justified.

well-earned

Focuses on the effort put in to merit something.

fairly earned

Implies that something was earned in a just manner.

justly deserved

Highlights the fairness of something being deserved.

FAQs

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

Use "wholly deserved" to emphasize that something is completely justified. For example, "After years of dedication, her promotion was "wholly deserved".

What are some alternatives to "wholly deserved"?

You can use alternatives like "entirely justified", "completely warranted", or "fully justified" depending on the context.

Is "wholly deserved" formal or informal?

"Wholly deserved" is generally considered a more formal expression. In informal contexts, simpler alternatives like "well-deserved" might be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "wholly deserved" and "richly deserved"?

"Wholly deserved" emphasizes the complete justification of something, while "richly deserved" suggests that something was deserved in abundance or to a great extent.