Word
meritorious
Phoneticsmer·i·to·ri·ous, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌmɛɹəˈtɔɹiəs/
UK/mˌɛɹɪtˈɔːɹɪəs/
Definition
adj. deserving of praise or reward because you did something good or worked very hard. It describes actions or people that are worthy of recognition.
adj. deserving of praise, reward, or recognition; worthy of credit or commendation. Often used in formal or legal contexts to describe actions that are justified or beneficial.
Examples
“The committee awarded the meritorious student a special scholarship.”
“The judge noted that the defendant's meritorious defense had prevented a much harsher sentence.”
“The university established a new award to recognize meritorious service among its faculty, encouraging those who go above and beyond their teaching duties to apply.”
Examples
simple
“The committee awarded the meritorious student a special scholarship.”
contextual
“The judge noted that the defendant's meritorious defense had prevented a much harsher sentence.”
complex
“The university established a new award to recognize meritorious service among its faculty, encouraging those who go above and beyond their teaching duties to apply.”
Real-World Examples
“Media denigration of politicians’ personal lives is an obvious deterrent to meritorious candidates.” Etymology
From Middle English meritorious, borrowed between 1375 and 1425 from Latin meritōrius (“earning money”), from meritus, past participle of mereō (“to earn”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/meritorious