n. That which is deserved; honor or reward due; recompense or consideration deserved.n. The state or fact of deserving; desert, good or bad; intrinsic ground of consideration or award: most commonly in the plural: as, to treat a person according to his merits.n. Specifically The state or fact of deserving well; good desert; worthiness of reward or consideration.n. Good quality in general; excellence.n. That which deserves consideration or reward; ground of desert; claim to notice or commendation: as, to enumerate the merits of a person, a book, or a scheme.n. plural In law, the right and wrong of a ease; the strict legal or equitable rights of the parties, as distinguished from questions of procedure and matters resting in judicial discretion or favor; essential facts and principles that lead to an opinion clear of personal bias: as, to judge a case on its merits.To deserve; earn a right or incur a liability to; be or become deserving of: as, to merit reward or punishment.To deserve as a reward; earn by commendable action or conduct.To reward.Synonyms and See desert, n.To acquire merit, benefit, or profit.