Standard Lemma guide

undeserved

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: AH2 N D IH0 Z ER1 V D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ill-deserved, unearned

Antonyms: deserved

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

not deserved or earned

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • has an undeserved reputation as a coward

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English deserved English undeserved From un- + deserved.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: незаслужен (nezaslužen) — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Catalan: immerescut — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Czech: nezasloužený — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Finnish: ansaitsematon — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • French: immérité — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • French: injustifié — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • German: unverdient — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Irish: éagórach — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Irish: neamhthuillte — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Italian: immeritato — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Latin: immeritus — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Manx: neuhoillit — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Portuguese: imerecido — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Russian: незаслуженный (nezaslužennyj) — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Spanish: inmerecido — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair
  • Swedish: oförtjänt — not deserved, earned or merited; unjustifiable or unfair