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.

Keaton neither narrates nor appears on camera, a bold choice that assured her film would be judged on its merits.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

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

An attorney for the school district noted that the Monday ruling is a preliminary injunction and the case has yet to be heard on its merits.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2025

This decision was in a "category of its own", Sir James said, and the committee was right to consider the case on its merits.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2025

Science is generated by and devoted to free inquiry: the idea that any hypothesis, no matter how strange, deserves to be considered on its merits.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

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