deserve a promotion

Meaning

This phrase means that someone has earned the right to be raised to a higher position or rank at work due to their hard work, dedication, or excellent performance. It is commonly used in professional contexts, career discussions, and performance reviews. The tone is supportive, appreciative, or sometimes frustrated if the advancement is overdue.

Examples

• She has worked so hard this year that she definitely deserves a promotion.

  She has worked so hard this year that she definitely deserves a promotion.

• If you want to deserve a promotion, you need to show leadership on this project.

  If you want to deserve a promotion, you need to show leadership on this project.

• Everyone in the department agrees that Mark deserves a promotion to senior manager.

  Everyone in the department agrees that Mark deserves a promotion to senior manager.

• I feel like I deserve a promotion, but I'm not sure how to ask my boss for one.

  I feel like I deserve a promotion, but I'm not sure how to ask my boss for one.

• After saving the company thousands of dollars, she certainly deserves a promotion.

  After saving the company thousands of dollars, she certainly deserves a promotion.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He deserves a promotion raise.

  ✓ He deserves a promotion.

  'Promotion' refers to a step up in rank, while 'raise' refers to an increase in pay. Combining them directly as 'promotion raise' is redundant and grammatically incorrect.

• ✗ She is deserving to a promotion.

  ✓ She deserves a promotion.

  The verb 'deserve' takes a direct object. If you use the adjective 'deserving', it requires the preposition 'of', not 'to'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• After working late every night this month, Sarah felt she ___.

  💡 Past tense. She earned a step up at work.

  Show answer

  deserved a promotion

• Do you think I ___ after delivering this project on time?

  💡 Base form. Am I worthy of a higher job title?

  Show answer

  deserve a promotion