on its merits

Idioms

Also,. With regard only to the intrinsic quality of something or someone. For example, Who supports it doesn't matter; we have to consider the idea solely on its merits, or The agency doesn't care about her references but wants to hire candidates according to their merits. [Late 1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

on its merits

It would be the first major immigration case decided by the court on its merits since Trump started his second term.

From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2026

His valor is worth remembering on its merits, and the history is instructive about the threats now facing the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 22, 2025

A group of 63 parliamentarians petitioned the court, which said in a statement that the law was suspended pending a ruling on its merits.

From Barron's ● Dec. 17, 2025

The case has drawn attention because it is the first challenge to a postmark law to be accepted by a court on its merits.

From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2024

There is no simple rule: one has to examine each case on its merits.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023