merits 1 of 2

plural of merit
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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merits

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of merit
as in deserves
to be or make worthy of (as a reward or punishment) that selfless act of heroism merited a public ceremony to honor the young swimmer

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of merits
Noun
While there are merits to creating two independent companies, the process will take a very long time, with the breakup not expected to be completed until the first half of 2028. — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026 And now that the president is unable to find support for his damaging policies on their merits, the administration is focused on rigging the rules to keep power and avoid accountability. — Dylan Behler, Baltimore Sun, 1 Nov. 2026 The two parties were in Canyon County court Thursday afternoon for a hearing on the proper venue for the case going forward, and to argue over the merits of an injunction — a more durable ruling to halt the ads. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 29 Oct. 2026 Gruden’s success in the lawsuit to date hasn’t concerned the merits of the case, but rather whether the case must be resolved through arbitration instead of litigation. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2026 After an extensive review, which included training on state law, reading the book and discussing its merits, the committee decided unanimously to keep the book in Harford County high schools. — Tara Lynch, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 The launch comes amid an ongoing, and often confusing, debate over the merits of tokenized deposits versus stablecoins, which are another form of dollar equivalents long embraced by the crypto industry. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026 And yet, if someone earnestly explores the merits of the zodiac or crystal healing at a dinner party, my inner cynic awakens. — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026 While the probe is progressing, some inside the DOJ are concerned about its legal merits. — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
Rodriguez says the diversion of Medicaid settlement money through the Hope Florida Foundation to GOP political committees controlled by Uthmeier was wrong and merits frequent mention. — Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026 In a city with more than 11,000 intensely competitive taquerías, the question of who merits credit for El Califa de León’s success has been a matter of public debate since Michelin deigned it star-worthy in 2024. — Terrence McCoy, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2026 Consider your furniture carefully To pull off a successful move, furniture merits a little extra TLC. — Perri Ormont Blumberg, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026 That merits an asterisk next to the case’s Extended-ATX board support. — Thomas Soderstrom, PC Magazine, 10 Oct. 2026 But the film hardly even merits such empty pastiche, and there’s little else to distinguish it from much cheap-and-cheerful streaming fodder in this genre space. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026 Even the cruel Paulina’s misplaced overconfidence and comeuppance merits our charity. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026 The forest also merits a visit after the spring or autumn rains, when local guides lead mushroom hunts. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026 That Ausmus already got so close to being the Astros’ general manager merits obvious attention. — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merits
Noun
  • Clients will feel the consequences not as abstract regulatory distinctions, but as higher bills, slower service and fewer choices.
    — Will Hausberg, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Minor differences in wording such as referring to someone as a tenant versus a resident or referring to animals as being in captivity versus under human care are distinctions that matter.
    — Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 3 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Breakfast deserves special mention for its thoughtful inclusion of Swahili and Kenyan specialities alongside continental standards.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • But, despite his reluctance to take a back seat even when Portugal looked better without him in recent years, his legacy is still one that deserves to be celebrated – much like how Lionel Messi said goodbye to Argentina last month.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Its main virtues for gluten-free eaters are a dedicated fryer and incredibly good french fries—available as a stand-alone side or, even better, as part of steak frites.
    — Luke Pyenson, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Fans and filmmaker alike might benefit from remembering these virtues as well.
    — The Conversation, The Conversation, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • But starting a second business after successfully exiting another comes with advantages, says Ellsworth.
    — Megan Sauer, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Their properties offer advantages in applications that require efficient switching, high power density, or high-voltage operation.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • The backstory The first Mandarin Oriental hotel—then called The Mandarin—opened its doors in Hong Kong in 1963 and has remained central to the hotel group’s core values, despite global expansion.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
  • There’s nostalgia and old world values as well as breaks from conventional and subtle sociopolitical commentary.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Merits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merits. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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