as in distinctions
a quality that gives something special worth
this mystery novel at least has the merit of an original plot
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Recent Examples of merits
Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
The Supreme Court also has the option to take up the case for full merits arguments.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
Every television show lives and dies on its merits.
—Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
The merits of investing in college sports are another story.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Japan’s Strategic Head Start In Digital Real Estate While much of the world debated the merits of tokenization, Japan was already building.
—Charles Morey, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Red Bull Racing senior advisor Helmut Marko gave Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda until the Mexican Grand Prix to prove his merits for a 2026 seat at the Austrian race team.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
At a nearby table, a group of young people are debating the merits of capitalism.
—Justin Worland, Time, 27 Aug. 2025
And since mid-2021, major central banks have struggled to keep inflation low, raising questions from populist and antidemocratic politicians about the merits of an arm’s-length relationship.
—Ana Carolina Garriga, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2025
Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
However, the nation’s highest court has not weighed on the merits of the case.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
The Supreme Court also has the option to take up the case for full merits arguments.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
Every television show lives and dies on its merits.
—Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
The merits of investing in college sports are another story.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Japan’s Strategic Head Start In Digital Real Estate While much of the world debated the merits of tokenization, Japan was already building.
—Charles Morey, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Red Bull Racing senior advisor Helmut Marko gave Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda until the Mexican Grand Prix to prove his merits for a 2026 seat at the Austrian race team.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
At a nearby table, a group of young people are debating the merits of capitalism.
—Justin Worland, Time, 27 Aug. 2025
And since mid-2021, major central banks have struggled to keep inflation low, raising questions from populist and antidemocratic politicians about the merits of an arm’s-length relationship.
—Ana Carolina Garriga, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
The key question now is whether IONS still merits a buy after this sizable move.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merits
Noun
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Gongs include a Grand Prize, a special jury prize as well as distinctions for design, know-how and gemstones.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
9 Sep. 2025
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Legal operations often involve context, judgment and subtle distinctions that automation isn’t yet equipped to handle.—
Jens Erik Gould,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Enshrining this in law deserves bipartisan support.—
Michael R. Bloomberg,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
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Meanwhile, production designer Inbal Weinberg deserves extra credit for re-creating that vintage Toys R Us store.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Yet reinterpreted through the lens of family capital, these qualities become virtues.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Becoming a saint In the Catholic faith, sainthood is reserved for those who have lived a life of heroic virtues, offered their life for others or died for their faith, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.—
Lauren Costantino
September 6,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This design offers several potential advantages.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Sep. 2025
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For smaller teams, this approach offers notable advantages.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The decrease in property values is what the agency said prompted it to step in and set the nearly 7% increase for all 2024 residential property valuations.—
Madeline King,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
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Nicole Kidman adds just the right amount of menace as a villainous taxidermist, but the heart of the movie lies in its celebration of kindness, decency and family—values that feel refreshingly radical in our cynical times.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Merits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merits. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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