Earn
Earn verb - To be or make worthy of (as a reward or punishment).
Usage example: you've earned the afternoon off after all that hard work
Merit is a synonym for earn in deserve topic. In some cases you can use "Merit" instead a verb "Earn", when it comes to topics like get, consequence, deserve a reward. popular alternative
Merit
Merit verb - To be or make worthy of (as a reward or punishment).
Usage example: that selfless act of heroism merited a public ceremony to honor the young swimmer
Earn is a synonym for merit in deserve topic. You can use "Earn" instead a verb "Merit", if it concerns topics such as get, consequence, be entitled to. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
- Handing out merit badges at the drop of hat (which would probably earn you your 'Hat Dropping' merit badge) seems to be Gazpacho's leadership style in the Chowder episode "The Apprentice Scouts".
Source: Merit Badges for Everything - If one were to actually earn enough of a given decoration to merit five gold stars, a single silver star is worn instead.
Source: Gold-Colored Superiority - Ziggzagged in DuckTales; most merit badges the Junior Woodchucks receive are ordinary ones, although they earn one for Law Enforcement by helping their uncle apprehend the Beagle Boys.
Source: Merit Badges for Everything
Cite this Source
Merit and Earn. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/earn/merit
Earn & Merit. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/earn/merit>.
Merit or Earn. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/earn/merit.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "earn" and "merit" have occurred on timeline