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merit
[ mer-it ]
noun
- claim to respect and praise; excellence; worth.
Synonyms: ,
- something that deserves or justifies a reward or commendation; a commendable quality, act, etc.:
The book's only merit is its sincerity.
- 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.
- Often merits. the state or fact of deserving; desert:
to treat people according to their merits.
- Roman Catholic Church. worthiness of spiritual reward, acquired by righteous acts made under the influence of grace.
- Obsolete. something that is deserved, whether good or bad.
verb (used with object)
- to be worthy of; deserve.
verb (used without object)
- Chiefly Theology. to acquire merit.
adjective
- based on merit:
a merit raise of $25 a week.
merit
/ ˈɛɪ /
noun
- worth or superior quality; excellence
work of great merit
- often plural a deserving or commendable quality or act
judge him on his merits
- Christianity spiritual credit granted or received for good works
- the fact or state of deserving; desert
- an obsolete word for reward
verb
- tr to be worthy of; deserve
he merits promotion
Derived Forms
- ˈٱ, adjective
- ˈٱ, adjective
Other Word Forms
- i·· adverb
- i· adjective
- -i· adjective
- v·i verb
- ·i verb (used with object)
- -i noun
- ܲ·i· adjective
- un·i·· adverb
- ɱ-i· adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of merit1
Word History and Origins
Origin of merit1
Idioms and Phrases
see on its merits .Synonym Study
Example Sentences
“Our client remains confident that these claims, like the myriad others he has filed, will be found to lack merit in a court or by an arbitrator.”
According to Prof Winfield, the Conservative proposals to boost oil and gas is likely to prove attractive to voters, even if the merits of expanding production don't stand up to scrutiny.
“We will demonstrate that all remaining claims are without merit. It is shameful that these foolish and frivolous legal theatrics continue. They are reputationally and financially costly to Drake and have no chance of success.”
This decision was in a "category of its own", Sir James said, and the committee was right to consider the case on its merits.
But they had no merit in themselves, he argued.
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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