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

Derived Forms

• ˈmeritless, adjective
• ˈmerited, adjective

Other Words From

• merit·ed·ly adverb
• merit·less adjective
• half-merit·ed adjective
• over·merit verb
• pre·merit verb (used with object)
• self-merit noun
• un·merit·ed adjective
• un·merit·ed·ly adverb
• well-merit·ed 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

The mayor and her team made an offer to our members late last night, which merits further review.

From Washington Post

Their argument is usually written off as hypocrisy or bitterness, its merits rarely given the attention it deserves.

From Time

So when you’re reading this, you can breathe a little easier since there are ways to get merit aid.

From Time

It’s a lot easier to have an opinion on cancel culture than it is to have an opinion on the merits of a coronavirus relief package.

From Washington Post

There’s merit to that perspective, and it’s clear how a rational person might arrive at that conclusion.

From Washington Post

Decorative value is largely incidental to artistic merit as defined by critics.

From The Daily Beast

In the view of some cops, perps merit little concern or sympathy.

From The Daily Beast

This is likely a lowball number but it has the merit to illustrate the tradeoff that raising the minimum wage requires.

From The Daily Beast

In Europe, he explained, the circus is considered a high form of art, known for its merit of talents and skilled performers.

From The Daily Beast

And our gripes about the lack of light in our lives are not without merit — humans truly are solar powered.

From The Daily Beast

We resolved to do our best to merit the good opinion which we thus supposed them to entertain of us.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Agnew saw the picture, recognised its merit, and wrote a cheque for the full amount asked.

From Project Gutenberg

Nor are these defects compensated by any high degree of merit in the delineation of the characters.

From Project Gutenberg

A certain cabinet minister being asked why he did not promote merit?

From Project Gutenberg

He is thought to be little inferior to Racine in the merit of his dramatic compositions.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• deserve
• just deserts
• justify
• warrant