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
Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 10 Jan. 2026
To be clear, keeping Dvorak around beyond this season does have its merits.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Should Wise rule that the court has jurisdiction in the matter — and deny the motion to dismiss — the court would then hear the merits of the case and could possibly issue an injunction blocking the State Department from revoking student visas based on free speech.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
The decision to remove the vaccines from the schedule occurred outside the typical process for vaccine recommendations in which an outside panel of expert advisers considers the merits of each vaccine with an eye toward public health.
—Ahmed Aboulenein, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
The opinion makes clear that the court did not assess the project’s environmental merits or rule on compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 2 Jan. 2026
The case will now return to the federal district court for further proceedings on the merits, following the appeals court’s ruling on Tuesday.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 31 Dec. 2025
Often compared to Mad Max, time and global warming have given people reason to reconsider the merits of this postapocalyptic science fiction film.
—Lia Beck, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025
But Kardashian’s performance, stiff and affectless without a single authentic note, is exactly what the writing, also stiff and affectless without a single authentic note, merits.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 7 Jan. 2026
The four-quarter game will be used as a plaintiff exhibit A-Z not only why the Big 12 barely merits one spot in the playoff, but that ultimately the league is not that much different than the Group of Five.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Jan. 2026
Hearing it might irritate parents or teachers, but that irritation has no cause and therefore merits no reproach.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
Each of these changes, taken individually, merits serious debate.
—Andrew Behar, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2025
Researchers in both countries say the accumulating evidence merits deeper investigation, especially as pigments such as carbon black, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and azo dyes are known to migrate to lymph nodes and remain there for years.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 28 Nov. 2025
The resulting formula is gentle yet effective—and merits bonus points for being fragrance-free.
—Deanna Pai, Vogue, 18 Nov. 2025
This is a shoe that merits in-store try-on if possible; if not, order from somewhere with a good return policy.
—Scott Douglas, Outside, 12 Nov. 2025
But the proceedings may be slightly different this week, with arguments focused on whether the case merits a full hearing in the future.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
Limbaugh did not rule on the merits of the lawsuit on Friday, but the case could have broader implications on Missouri’s efforts to keep the Royals inside state lines.
—Verb
That rare price tag merits nothing less.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for merits
Noun
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Critics say those distinctions are arbitrary and unfair, being based on outdated assumptions and bad science.—
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To add to the complexity, smoke taint is inflected by subtle distinctions between grape varietals, too.—
Verb
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Simple enough for a weeknight dinner and impressive enough for a holiday get together, this baked fennel deserves a permanent spot in your recipe box.—
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My generation deserves better leaders than the ones teaching us that bigotry is bravery and hate is just a joke.—
Noun
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Just as personal vices can shape the course of an individual life, so too can national vices influence our collective experience, maybe as much as our virtues—or possibly even more.—
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Running is a means of developing all these good virtues and habits.—
Noun
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That flexibility is one of the biggest advantages travelers have today.—
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Those advantages will show up Sunday.—
Noun
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So this is to the ones who are sticking to their values in difficult moments.—
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Money-minded Venus is squaring curative Chiron, pushing you to match your spending habits with your values (without shaming yourself or others).—
Cite this Entry
“Merits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merits. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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