merit

[mer-it]

noun

1. claim to respect and praise; excellence; worth.

   Synonyms: esteem, value

2. something that deserves or justifies a reward or commendation; a commendable quality, act, etc..

   The book's only merit is its sincerity.

3. merits, the inherent rights and wrongs of a matter, as a lawsuit, unobscured by procedural details, technicalities, personal feelings, etc..

   The case will be decided on its merits alone.

4. Often merits. the state or fact of deserving; desert.

   to treat people according to their merits.

5. Roman Catholic Church.,  worthiness of spiritual reward, acquired by righteous acts made under the influence of grace.

6. Obsolete.,  something that is deserved, whether good or bad.

verb (used with object)

1. to be worthy of; deserve.

verb (used without object)

1. Chiefly Theology.,  to acquire merit.

adjective

1. based on merit.

   a merit raise of $25 a week.

merit

/ ˈmɛrɪt /

noun

1. worth or superior quality; excellence

   work of great merit

2. (often plural) a deserving or commendable quality or act

   judge him on his merits

3. Christianity spiritual credit granted or received for good works

4. the fact or state of deserving; desert

5. an obsolete word for reward

verb

1. (tr) to be worthy of; deserve

   he merits promotion

Other Word Forms

• meritedly adverb
• meritless adjective
• half-merited adjective
• overmerit verb
• premerit verb (used with object)
• self-merit noun
• unmerited adjective
• unmeritedly adverb
• well-merited adjective
• merited adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of merit¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Latin meritum “act worthy of praise (or blame),” noun use of neuter of meritus, past participle of merēre “to earn”

Word History and Origins

Origin of merit¹

C13: via Old French from Latin meritum reward, desert, from merēre to deserve

Idioms and Phrases

see on its merits.

Synonym Study

See desert ³.

Example Sentences

This is a character in flux, someone whose illusions of fairness and merit have been shattered by corporate scheming.

From Salon

"And we're very confident we will win on the merits of the law."

From BBC

“We’re very confident in the president’s legal authority to do this, and we are very confident we will win on the merits of the law,” Leavitt said.

From Los Angeles Times

In the coming months, however, the court is set tackle questions of presidential power – and other high-profile controversies - head on, hearing oral arguments and issuing full decisions on their merits.

From BBC

Whatever the merits of having someone different in charge – and many see Robert Jenrick waiting in the wings – it risks exposing the Tories once again to the most damaging of political forces: ridicule.

From BBC

Related Words

• benefit 
• dignity 
• excellence 
• integrity 
• quality 
• stature 
• talent 
• value 
• virtue 
• worthiness