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meritorious Synonyms
Another word for meritorious
Choosing another word for meritorious depends on context, so the 17 synonyms and similar words below are separated across 2 exact definitions and ranked by match strength.
• adjective (Context 1)
Deserving of reward, honor, or high praise; having great merit.
Usage Example
"The retired professor received an honorary medal in recognition of her forty years of praiseworthy service to the university."
Strongest
praiseworthy
laudable
commendable
worthy
deserving
Strong
admirable
exemplary
creditable
estimable
honorable
• adjective (Context 2)
Possessing sufficient legal validity or factual foundation to warrant a favorable judgment (of a legal claim, defense, or argument).
Usage Example
"The appellate court agreed to set aside the default judgment after the defendant presented a valid defense backed by clear financial records."
Strongest
valid
Strong
well-founded
legitimate
sound
justifiable
tenable
credible
Opposites of meritorious
The opposite of meritorious shifts depending on context. Common opposites include:
frivolous
meritless
unworthy
undeserving
baseless
groundless
blameworthy
reprehensible
• Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Synonyms for Meritorious. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/synonyms/meritorious