different between useful vs deserving

English

Etymology

From use +? -ful.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ju?sf?l/

Adjective

useful (comparative usefuller or more useful, superlative usefullest or most useful)

1. Having a practical or beneficial use.

   Synonyms: noteful, serviceable, utilitarian, utile

   Antonyms: unuseful, useless, harmful

Usage notes

• Prepositions: useful is used in useful for <purpose>, useful for <person> and useful to <person>. The words useful to are also found in constructions such as It is useful to do, in which to marks an infinitive rather than being a preposition.

Derived terms

Translations

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /d??z?v??/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d??z??v??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)v??
• Hyphenation: de?serv?ing

Adjective

deserving (comparative more deserving, superlative most deserving)

1. worthy of reward or praise; meritorious

   the deserving poor

2. meriting, worthy (reward, punishment etc.)

Antonyms

• undeserving

Derived terms

• undeserving

Translations

Noun

deserving (plural deservings)

1. desert, merit
   • 1711, Jonathan Swift, The Examiner, Number 30

     I ?here understand that value which every man puts upon his own deservings from the publick

Translations

Verb

deserving

1. present participle of deserve