1
as in distinction
a quality that gives something special worth
this mystery novel at least has the merit of an original plot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in value
the relative usefulness or importance of something as judged by specific qualities
that idea has some merit, so let's explore it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of merit
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
When Cipriani first threatened to sue in February, Shell’s attorney at the time, Patricia Glaser, stated that the claims were without merit.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026
After the game, Self admitted that the first technical was merited but felt that the second was a stretch.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for merit
Noun
Though the shows have achieved varying levels qualitatively, perhaps their greatest collective merit has been their evident effort at fidelity to the source material.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
When Cipriani first threatened to sue in February, Shell’s attorney at the time, Patricia Glaser, stated that the claims were without merit.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
An attorney for the family, Jamal Tooson, conceded that the victim’s actions possibly merited arrest or a citation by the Los Angeles Police Department.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026
After the game, Self admitted that the first technical was merited but felt that the second was a stretch.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for merit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merit
Noun
-
Just this month, England’s Northern Ballet premiered Gentleman Jack, which has the extremely rare distinction of being full-length ballet with a lesbian protagonist.—
Chloe Angyal,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
-
That distinction belongs to a 2003 Ferrari Enzo.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That extra compensation was added to the overall pool and doesn’t decrease the overall value of the units.—
Doug Feinberg,
Twin Cities,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Instead of simply disposing of plastic, this approach upcycles environmental waste into a high-value medical resource, thereby reducing the industry’s ecological footprint while benefiting human health.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hollywood deserves some of the blame.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
-
In that sense, Chinatown carries its own poetic legacy, the myth that deserves to endure.—
Xuan Juliana Wang,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And that’s the exact advantage Mansfield Summit’s smothering defense created in the Class 5A Division II state championship.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Joveljić, along with Stephen Afrifa, set up an insurance goal by Johnsen in the 74th minute for a 2-0 advantage.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
What readers are saying The conversation explores the impact of a holistic understanding of AI on students' learning experiences, with many participants emphasizing the importance of foundational skills before delving into AI.—
Rebecca Winthrop,
Washington Post,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Raising this temperature has been of paramount importance to researchers.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini has earned praise from every opposing coach across the league in his first two NHL seasons, and Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff also took a minute Tuesday to extoll the 19-year-old’s virtues.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Executives have been preaching the virtues of consolidation, framing it as the only way for legacy media companies to compete with technology companies.—
Lucas Shaw,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Beyond his onstage excellence, Grady runs our props department with remarkable effectiveness and decisiveness.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
-
In 2014, Jocelyn Peters was recognized for excellence in the classroom.—
Marcelena Spencer,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Merit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merit. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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