as in distinctions
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
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
Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
That time the justices — three of whom sat with Robinson during the earlier appeal — ruled on the merits of the case.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
Better to advance an affordability agenda that is both popular and right on the merits.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Sort of, though the Supreme Court did not address the merits of the birthright citizenship executive order.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Better to advance an affordability agenda that is both popular and right on the merits.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026
Her ruling — finding that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits — was upheld in a 2-1 decision by a federal appeals court.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
These actions pause the government's ban until the court can decide on the merits of the underlying case.
—John Ruwitch, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026
That answer was his quip, but the Deputies Committee provided a forum for arguing about the merits of the case.
—Gregory F. Treverton, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 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
An appellate court has paused the order for now, and at time of publication had yet to rule on the merits.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
That time the justices — three of whom sat with Robinson during the earlier appeal — ruled on the merits of the case.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
Better to advance an affordability agenda that is both popular and right on the merits.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Sort of, though the Supreme Court did not address the merits of the birthright citizenship executive order.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Better to advance an affordability agenda that is both popular and right on the merits.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026
Her ruling — finding that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits — was upheld in a 2-1 decision by a federal appeals court.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
These actions pause the government's ban until the court can decide on the merits of the underlying case.
—John Ruwitch, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026
That answer was his quip, but the Deputies Committee provided a forum for arguing about the merits of the case.
—Gregory F. Treverton, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 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
-
Understanding these distinctions can help set realistic expectations before applying for tax relief.—
Deane Biermeier,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Thematically, there are some parallels between this project and Dosa’s Fire of Love, and notable distinctions.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bolden agreed to take less money, $22 million, but the trial judge ruled that Bolden deserves extra compensation to cover the time the case took to get to trial.—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
This unusual novel deserves its inclusion on the longlist for the 2026 Climate Fiction Prize.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But, by the same token, the virtues of the traditional approach, which once hardly needed to be articulated, now stand in greater relief.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The eco-friendly aesthetic was an appealing brand story at first, but the company belatedly realized that analysts were right in saying that Allbirds’ marketing was too focused on sustainability virtues and not enough on the appeal of its shoes.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This approach combines the superior surface properties of tungsten with the structural and economic advantages of other materials.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Making It All Work Sacramento offers many undeniable advantages, including a vibrant cultural scene and abundant urban forests that are hard to find in many other cities.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These platforms must forge collaborative networks that mutually reinforce one another and establish a rigorous framework that makes the cultural values of the biennial format legible, tangible, and palpable to various segments of society in the immediate locale and across the continent.—
Smooth Nzewi,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Our alt data is also supportive given moderating pressures in range resale values and strong special vehicles’ appreciation.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Merits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merits. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
