Reference.com

246 results for: merit

Dictionary Entries (12 more entries. View all »)
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Cite This Source
mer·it    Audio Help   [mer-it] Pronunciation Key
–noun
1.claim to respect and praise; excellence; worth.
2.something that deserves or justifies a reward or commendation; a commendable quality, act, etc.: The book's only merit is its sincerity.
3.merits, the inherent rights and wrongs of a matter, as a lawsuit, unobscured by procedural details, technicalities, personal feelings, etc.: The case will be decided on its merits alone.
4.Often, merits. the state or fact of deserving; desert: to treat people according to their merits.
5.Roman Catholic Church. worthiness of spiritual reward, acquired by righteous acts made under the influence of grace.
6.Obsolete. something that is deserved, whether good or bad.
–verb (used with object)
7.to be worthy of; deserve.
–verb (used without object)
8.Chiefly Theology. to acquire merit.
–adjective
9.based on merit: a merit raise of $25 a week.
[Origin: 1175–1225; ME < L meritum act worthy of praise (or blame), n. use of neut. of meritus, ptp. of merére to earn]

—Related forms
mer·it·ed·ly, adverb
mer·it·less, adjective

—Synonyms 1. value, credit. Merit, desert, worth refer to the quality in a person, action, or thing that entitles recognition, esp. favorable recognition. Merit is usually the excellence that entitles to praise: a person of great merit. Desert is the quality that entitles one to a just reward: according to her deserts. Worth is always used in a favorable sense and signifies inherent value or goodness: The worth of your contribution is incalculable.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Thesaurus Entries (3 more entries. View all »)
  Synonym Collection v1.1Cite This Source
Main Entry:  merit
Part of Speech:  adjective
Synonyms:  commendable, commendatory, creditable, due, eminent, estimable, excellent, exemplary, fit, fitting, merited, meritorious, praiseworthy, prestigious, suitable, valuable, worthy, condign, warranted
Source:  Synonym Collection v1.1
Copyright © 2008 by Lexico Publishing Group, LLC.
  Roget's II: The New ThesaurusCite This Source
Main Entry:  merit
Part of Speech:  noun
Definition:  A level of superiority that is usually high.
Synonyms:  caliber, quality, stature, value, virtue, worth
Source:  Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition
by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary.
Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
  Synonym Collection v1.1Cite This Source
Main Entry:  merit
Part of Speech:  noun
Synonyms:  desert, eminence, excellence, goodness, prestige, reward, right, worth, worthiness, commendableness, estimableness, exemplarity, meed, pl. claim
Source:  Synonym Collection v1.1
Copyright © 2008 by Lexico Publishing Group, LLC.

View results from: Dictionary | Thesaurus | Encyclopedia | All Reference | the Web

Reference: No results found in Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia and Crystal Reference Encyclopedia. Would you like to see the 227 entries in other encyclopedias, or search the Web for merit?

Perform a new search, or try your search for "merit" at: