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View synonyms for

merit

[mer-it]

noun

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

    Synonyms: ,
  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

/ ˈɛɪ /

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

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to be worthy of; deserve

    he merits promotion

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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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
  • ˈٱ adjective
  • ˈٱ adjective
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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 ŧ “to earn”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of merit1

C13: via Old French from Latin meritum reward, desert, from ŧ to deserve
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Idioms and Phrases

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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Winners of the Oceania Champions League in each of the past four years, Auckland have made it to the tournament on that merit.

From

He was a blue-collar digger, distinctly a symbol of merit in its latest Trumpian definition.

From

In her judgment, Lady Hood stated: "This case is not a verdict, nor even an expression of opinion, on the merits or demerits of government policy as debated in the public arena."

From

While Bea sees the merits of bringing Patience into the investigation, Jake rejects her, both as an outsider and as “temperamentally unsuitable for this kind of work,” though — spoiler alert — he will come around.

From

In a statement, a 23andMe spokesperson said the lawsuit’s claims “are without merit” and that the sale of genetic data does not violate privacy regulations.

From

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