undeserved


Also found in: Thesaurus.

undeserved

not justly or rightly earned or merited: an undeserved reward
Not to be confused with:
underserved – those whose needs are not sufficiently served: underserved children of the ghetto
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

un·de·served

 (ŭn′dĭ-zûrvd′)
adj.
Not merited; unjustifiable or unfair.

un′de·serv′ed·ly (-zûr′vĭd-lē) adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

undeserved

(ˌʌndɪˈzɜːvd)
adj
not earned or merited; unwarranted: an undeserved reputation.
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.undeserved - not deserved or earned; "has an undeserved reputation as a coward"
unmerited - not merited or deserved; "received an unmerited honorary degree"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
ansaitsematon

undeserved

[ˈʌndɪˈzɜːvd] ADJinmerecido
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

undeserved

[ˌʌndɪˈzɜːrvd] adj [reputation] → injustifié(e), immérité(e); [treatment] → injuste
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

undeserved

adjunverdient
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

undeserved

[ˌʌndɪˈzɜːvd] adjimmeritato/a
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
I do not despair of yet bringing about such a search, and it is a source of deep grief to me that it has been delayed by the undeserved hostility and unwise incredulity of the family and friends of the late Judge Veigh."
This event made Fuchs the object of undeserved notoriety, since he was travelling with her.
By this curious turn of disposition I have gained the reputation of deliberate heartlessness; how undeserved, I alone can appreciate.
"It was God's will, Anne," said Marilla, helpless before the riddle of the universe--the WHY of undeserved pain.
And do not the warm, rapturous sensations, which we feel from the consciousness of an honest, noble, generous, benevolent action, convey more delight to the mind than the undeserved praise of millions?
She forgave him; but from that time more than ever he considered himself unworthy of her, morally bowed down lower than ever before her, and prized more highly than ever his undeserved happiness.
I carry in my memory yet the picture of that forward driver, on his knees on his high seat, resting his elbows on its back, and beaming down on his passengers, with happy eye, and flying hair, and jolly red face, and offering his card to the old German gentleman while he praised his hack and horses, and both teams were whizzing down a long hill with nobody in a position to tell whether we were bound to destruction or an undeserved safety.
Henceforth I have to relate the story of my miserable Fall: -- most miserable, yet surely most undeserved! For why should the thirst for knowledge be aroused, only to be disappointed and punished?
But despite the apprehensions I could not dispel, the horrible character imputed to these Typees appeared to be wholly undeserved.
what erroneous conclusions she had drawn from that particular chapter, and it stung him the more in that they were undeserved. Of all unlikely things, to have the reputation of being a lady-killer,--he, Burning Daylight,--and to have a woman kill herself out of love for him.
She looked round the room, told me positively that I was very comfortable there; to which I assented, humbly, acknowledging my undeserved good fortune.
Norah, whose courage under undeserved calamity had been the courage of resignation -- Norah, who had patiently accepted her hard lot; who from first to last had meditated no vengeance and stooped to no deceit -- Norah had reached the end which all her sister's ingenuity, all her sister's resolution, and all her sister's daring had failed to achieve.