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
Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Mendoza Hernandez has not yet been indicted by a grand jury on the charges against him and has not appeared for any hearings involving the merits of the government’s accusations.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Walker’s ruling did not address the merits of the case in full, but found that the plaintiffs had not met the high bar required to justify judicial intervention at this early stage.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
But for the vast majority of everyday cooking tasks—stirring, folding, sautéing, serving—high-quality silicone outperforms the competition on the merits that matter most.
—Jamie Thilman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Progressive opposition to the conflict in Iran has nothing to do with the relative merits of their arguments concerning the war.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 16 Apr. 2026
Lawyers for Live Nation countered that the company had succeeded on its own merits.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
But Wednesday is as far as any impeachment resolutions will likely go because lawmakers did not agree on even the parameters to set them in motion; the resolution on Wednesday did not discuss the merits of the allegations.
—Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
The exes are also ordered to appear remotely at a court hearing April 30 to review the merits of Mortensen’s protective order against Paul.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
The undulating glass and steel structure of The National Art Center merits a visit on its own.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2026
His journey merits its own movie.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
So much merits our contempt, out there and probably in ourselves, too.
—Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
Other viewers may be left wondering why all of this merits a full-length movie, or at least one that unconvincingly tries to turn fact into fiction.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Don Juan Moore/Getty Images To get ahead of the issue, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a ban on all drone flights over the Super Bowl, which has been classified by the federal government as a top special event that merits extensive interagency support.
—Anna Schecter, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
For the Sweden Democrats and their coalition, culture, like borders, merits strategic defense.
—Colton Valentine, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
On-the-job safety comes to mind quickly, but consumer product safety merits attention.
—Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Noun
But few people have publicly argued against its business merits.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Mendoza Hernandez has not yet been indicted by a grand jury on the charges against him and has not appeared for any hearings involving the merits of the government’s accusations.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Walker’s ruling did not address the merits of the case in full, but found that the plaintiffs had not met the high bar required to justify judicial intervention at this early stage.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
But for the vast majority of everyday cooking tasks—stirring, folding, sautéing, serving—high-quality silicone outperforms the competition on the merits that matter most.
—Jamie Thilman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Progressive opposition to the conflict in Iran has nothing to do with the relative merits of their arguments concerning the war.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 16 Apr. 2026
Lawyers for Live Nation countered that the company had succeeded on its own merits.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
But Wednesday is as far as any impeachment resolutions will likely go because lawmakers did not agree on even the parameters to set them in motion; the resolution on Wednesday did not discuss the merits of the allegations.
—Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
The exes are also ordered to appear remotely at a court hearing April 30 to review the merits of Mortensen’s protective order against Paul.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
The 272-page volume lacks an index, but that’s why Steve Jobs invented \⌘ + F; a digital search reveals that George Lucas and his eponymous film studio are name-dropped 31 times, whereas ESPN merits only 17 mentions.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
The undulating glass and steel structure of The National Art Center merits a visit on its own.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2026
His journey merits its own movie.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
So much merits our contempt, out there and probably in ourselves, too.
—Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
Other viewers may be left wondering why all of this merits a full-length movie, or at least one that unconvincingly tries to turn fact into fiction.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Don Juan Moore/Getty Images To get ahead of the issue, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a ban on all drone flights over the Super Bowl, which has been classified by the federal government as a top special event that merits extensive interagency support.
—Anna Schecter, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
For the Sweden Democrats and their coalition, culture, like borders, merits strategic defense.
—Colton Valentine, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
On-the-job safety comes to mind quickly, but consumer product safety merits attention.
—Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merits
Noun
-
Looking back at what was absorbed into existing categories rather than singled out, the distinctions become even sharper.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Judgment on the other hand is more about taste, professional intuition, and subtle but often critical qualitative distinctions that often require both talent and experience.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Combined with government pressure to appear progressive, the rush by tech companies into schools deserves scrutiny.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Trust short pauses to reveal what truly deserves your attention next.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In her writings and website biographies, Morganroth extolled the virtues of freedom of speech, of seeking the truth no matter the roadblocks and of adhering to strong ethical values.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
8 Apr. 2026
-
These songs may remind you of the comfortable virtues of another country craftsman, his mentor, Luke Combs.—
Ben Crandell,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Those that can’t will be bypassed—regardless of other advantages.—
Pandu Sjahrir,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Changes to electoral rules, increasing executive branch control over the judiciary, media dominance and the use of state resources give the ruling party structural advantages.—
Nick Spicer,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Yet that commitment has been lost in our national discourse, drowned out by years of media attention trained on Republican legislators who have largely abandoned those historical values in service of a deregulatory corporatism.—
Nadia Gill,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
-
As Firecracker realizes during a marketing brainstorm with VP Ashley Barrett, Oh Father, Vought producer Courtenay Fortney, and the Worm, the basic values of Jesus Christ don’t sell anymore.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Merits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merits. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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