as in deserved
being what is called for by accepted standards of right and wrong
the punishment, although harsh, was entirely merited
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Recent Examples of merited
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Much has been made of the fitness of Feyenoord midfielder Hwang — who finally delivered South Korea the goal that their dominance had merited, lobbing Kovar after a smart turn, his finish the successful epitome of what Son had tried earlier in the game.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
The district was created after the 2020 census revealed that population growth in Colorado merited adding an additional representative from the state to the congressional delegation in Washington.
—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
Cleon Williams’ attorney, Phillip Arroyo, argued in court filings that ICE’s delay in transferring Williams from the Orange County Jail following his May 9 arrest was unlawful and merited immediate release.
—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 May 2026
Getty Images For much of FIFA’s 2026 World Cup ticket price rollout, there was skepticism that market demand truly merited unprecedentedly high ticket prices.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
Busby’s defense attorneys, Jack Strickland and Steve Gordon, argued that Busby’s poor upbringing, low IQ, learning disabilities and chronic drug and alcohol use merited a life sentence.
—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
But for the most part, its success this decade has been merited on a creative level, too.
—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
While no award was given for Loudest Constantly Yammering Audience at Any Awards Show Anywhere Ever, Wednesday’s sold out crowd of 1,350 certainly merited strong consideration for such a dubious distinction.
—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 May 2026
Verb
Warsh said Fed officials had changes today that merited holding a presser.
—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Much has been made of the fitness of Feyenoord midfielder Hwang — who finally delivered South Korea the goal that their dominance had merited, lobbing Kovar after a smart turn, his finish the successful epitome of what Son had tried earlier in the game.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
The district was created after the 2020 census revealed that population growth in Colorado merited adding an additional representative from the state to the congressional delegation in Washington.
—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
Cleon Williams’ attorney, Phillip Arroyo, argued in court filings that ICE’s delay in transferring Williams from the Orange County Jail following his May 9 arrest was unlawful and merited immediate release.
—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 May 2026
Getty Images For much of FIFA’s 2026 World Cup ticket price rollout, there was skepticism that market demand truly merited unprecedentedly high ticket prices.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
Busby’s defense attorneys, Jack Strickland and Steve Gordon, argued that Busby’s poor upbringing, low IQ, learning disabilities and chronic drug and alcohol use merited a life sentence.
—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
But for the most part, its success this decade has been merited on a creative level, too.
—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
While no award was given for Loudest Constantly Yammering Audience at Any Awards Show Anywhere Ever, Wednesday’s sold out crowd of 1,350 certainly merited strong consideration for such a dubious distinction.
—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merited
Adjective
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Germany's head coach, Julian Nagelsmann, gave Ecuador its deserved praise for the win today, saying his own team failed to find its rhythm in the second half.
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Two families continue to carry burdens that neither asked for nor deserved.
Adjective
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If that underlying logic is stripped away, policymakers may feel justified in reversing these successful, health-promoting policies.
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These are entirely justified responses to Russian strikes against our state.
Cite this Entry
“Merited.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merited. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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