Merit
noun / verb Base: merit | Past: merited | Past Participle: merited | -ing: meriting | 3rd person: merits
Definition
1. The quality of being good and deserving praise.
2. The advantages or good qualities of something.
3. To deserve particular attention or treatment.
4. The substance or validity of a legal case.
2. The advantages or good qualities of something.
3. To deserve particular attention or treatment.
4. The substance or validity of a legal case.
Context Alive
The company announced a new promotion policy last month. Every employee would now be evaluated on merit alone, with performance reviews and project results deciding who moved up. No more favoritism — only hard work and real results would matter from now on.
Meanings
4 meanings 1 Quality of Deserving Praise (Noun) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about being worthy of recognition. Imagine a student who works incredibly hard all year, and the teacher says her success is based entirely on merit — her own effort and talent earned it. This is merit — the quality of deserving praise. You might say “she got the job on merit” or someone could talk about “a person of great merit.” Or picture a scholarship program that selects students purely on merit, ignoring everything else. The word carries a sense of fairness and earned value. ✏️ “On merit” is the most common phrase — it means based on quality, not connections or luck.
Vivid ExampleThe young designer had no connections in the industry and no fancy degree. But her portfolio showed such clear merit that three companies called her in for interviews. They were all impressed by her creativity and originality.
2 Advantages or Good Qualities of Something (Noun) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about the positive aspects of something. Imagine your team is comparing two different ideas for a project, and your boss says “let’s look at the merits of each option before deciding.” This is talking about merits — the strengths and advantages. You might hear “the plan has many merits” or someone could say “we discussed the merits of both approaches.” Or think about choosing between two schools and weighing the merits of each one carefully. The word suggests a balanced, thoughtful evaluation. ✏️ Usually used in plural — “the merits of something” — when comparing or evaluating options.
Vivid ExampleThe board spent two hours reviewing every detail of the proposal. After weighing the merits of each section carefully, they agreed the plan was solid. Full funding was approved by the end of the meeting.
3 To Deserve Attention or Treatment (Verb) Common ▼
This meaning is about something being important enough to deserve a response. Imagine a manager reading through customer complaints and finding one that merits immediate action — it’s serious enough to need a quick response. This is meriting something — deserving it. You might say “this issue merits further investigation” or someone could say “her performance merits a raise.” Or picture a news story so unusual that it merits a front-page headline. The word points to something earning a particular response. ✏️ Unlike “deserve,” merit focuses more on the importance of the thing itself — not on the person’s feelings about it.
Vivid ExampleA small error in the report caught the manager’s eye. She felt it merited a closer look, so she reviewed the entire document again. That second review revealed a much bigger mistake hidden in the data.
4 Substance or Validity of a Legal Case (Noun) Specialized ▼
This meaning is about whether a legal case has real value or basis. Imagine a lawyer reviewing a complaint and telling the client “this case has no merit” — meaning there’s no real evidence to support it. This is using merit to talk about legal substance. You might hear “the lawsuit was found to be without merit” or a judge could say “let’s decide the case on its merits.” Or think about a company being sued and their lawyers arguing the claim has no merit whatsoever. The word suggests factual validity and real basis. ✏️ “Without merit” is extremely common in legal contexts — it means the case has no real basis or supporting evidence.
Vivid ExampleThe company received a lawsuit from a former employee. Their lawyers reviewed the complaint and concluded it was without merit, pointing out that the evidence was weak. The case was dismissed before it even reached trial.
Examples from the Street
“The idea has merit, but we need to think it through more carefully.”
The suggestion is worth considering, but we shouldn’t rush into it
“Promotions here are based on merit, not on who you know.”
You move up because of your ability and performance, not your connections
“I don’t think his complaint merits a formal response.”
I don’t believe his grievance deserves an official reply
Common Patterns
on merit / on its (own) merits → judged purely by quality or facts, not by favouritism
have merit → be valid, worthwhile, or worth considering
without merit → groundless, not valid at all
of merit → of genuine quality or value
judge/assess something on its merits → evaluate based on facts alone
the merits of [something] → the advantages or good points of something
merits and drawbacks/flaws → comparing advantages and disadvantages
relative merits → comparing the advantages of different options
weigh the merits → carefully consider the advantages
merit attention/consideration → deserve to be noticed or thought about
merit further [investigation/discussion] → deserve deeper examination
merit a [response/mention] → deserve a reply or acknowledgement
hardly/barely merit → almost not be worth
Collocations
4 collocationson its own merit
judged by its own qualities alone
merit attention
deserve to be considered
merit a closer look
be worth examining more carefully
academic merit
achievement based on intellectual ability
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
Every application should be assessed on its own merits, regardless of the candidate’s background
Every submission should be evaluated purely on its quality, no matter where the applicant comes from.
2
Your proposal has merit, but I think the budget section needs more work
Your plan is worth considering, but I believe the financial part requires further development.
3
The court dismissed the lawsuit as completely without merit
The judge threw out the legal case because it was entirely groundless.
4
She’s a scientist of great merit who has published over fifty research papers
She’s an outstanding researcher who has produced more than fifty academic publications.
5
We need to discuss the merits of working from home versus returning to the office
We should talk about the advantages of remote work compared to going back to the workplace.
6
Before choosing a university, it’s wise to compare the relative merits of each programme
Before picking a school, it’s smart to evaluate how the advantages of each course stack up against one another.
7
The board will weigh the merits of both proposals before making a final decision
The committee will carefully consider the strengths of each plan before reaching a conclusion.
8
This issue merits attention from the highest levels of government
This matter deserves to be addressed by the most senior officials in the country.
9
The discovery merits further investigation — it could change everything we know about the disease
The finding deserves deeper examination — it might transform our entire understanding of the illness.
10
His excuse hardly merits a response — everyone knows he just overslept
His explanation is barely worth replying to — it’s obvious to all of us that he simply didn’t wake up on time.
Learner Examples
★
Each student’s essay should be graded on its own merits, not based on how well they usually perform in class
Every learner’s written work should be marked purely on its quality, not influenced by their typical classroom performance.
★
The suggestion to add more speaking activities to the curriculum merits serious consideration — most students struggle with fluency, not grammar
The idea of including additional conversation practice in the programme deserves careful thought — the majority of learners find it harder to speak smoothly than to follow rules.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
1 item Idioms & Expressionson its own merits — judged by its own quality
Judge each application on its own merits, not the school name.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsdeserve
verb, be worthy of
value
noun, worth
virtue
positive quality
worth
importance or value
Antonymsflaw
weakness or defect
fault
negative quality