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

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

"Each submission is evaluated on its merits, and decisions regarding subsequent action are made in accordance with investigative standards and the relevance of the information to the established facts."

From BBC

But without restoring his party's faith in him, convincing Labour of his merits, his own position could well be at risk.

From BBC

The suit is proceeding in court while a federal judge considers the merits of the case.

From Los Angeles Times

A single-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court ruled that X's challenge against the Sahyog portal, run by the federal home ministry, was "without merit".

From BBC

Related Words

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