What does “merit” mean?
- 1
nouna good quality that deserves praise or reward
Each proposal will be judged on its merits.
- 2
verbto deserve something, formally
The idea merits further discussion.
Merit at a glance
- Part of speech
- noun & verb
- CEFR level
- C1 (advanced)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈmɛrɪt/ · MAIR-it
How to use “merit” correctly
“On its merits” means based on its real quality, not on other factors. The verb is formal; use “deserve” in speech.
Common phrases with “merit”
- on its merits
- the merits of
- have merit
- merit attention
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- value
- worth
- deserve
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- flaw
Word family
- meritorious
- meritocracy
“merit” is on these word lists
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