# deserter vs deserve

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### deserter
*noun · IPA /dɪˈzɜːtə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #41,079*
A person who has physically removed him- or herself from the control or direction of a military or naval unit with the intention of permanently leaving

### deserve
*verb · IPA /dɪˈzɜːv/ · frequency rank #2,529*
To be entitled to, as a result of past actions; to be worthy to have.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deserter-vs-deserve