Earn vs. Merit — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 5, 2024
Earn involves receiving compensation for work or effort, whereas merit refers to deserving recognition or reward based on qualities or achievements.
Difference Between Earn and Merit
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Earning is typically associated with financial or material compensation for services rendered or tasks completed. On the other hand, merit involves earning recognition or rewards based on one’s qualities, achievements, or ethical standards, not necessarily linked to financial gain.
Earn is an active process that often involves direct action, such as working a job or completing a project. Whereas merit can be more passive, reflecting an individual's standing or worth based on past actions or inherent qualities.
In the workplace, employees earn salaries for their labor. Conversely, they may receive promotions or awards based on the merit of their performance, which reflects their effectiveness and value to the organization.
Earning can occur in various contexts, including employment, business, or even in gaming as points. Merit, however, is often used in contexts like education, professional advancements, and awards, emphasizing worthiness and excellence.
Financial transactions are straightforward in the concept of earning; one performs work and receives payment. In contrast, merit often involves subjective evaluation of a person’s contributions or character, which can influence decisions like scholarship awards or honors.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Receiving compensation for work or services
Deserving recognition based on qualities
Context
Work, business, transactions
Education, awards, professional recognition
Nature
Financial, material
Honorific, recognition
Dependency
Direct action (working, selling)
Qualities, achievements, ethical standards
Evaluation
Quantitative (hours worked, items sold)
Qualitative (excellence, worthiness)
Compare with Definitions
Earn
To accrue or accumulate something beneficial.
The savings account earns interest over time.
Merit
An aspect of character or behavior deserving approval or praise.
His honesty is one of his greatest merits.
Earn
To receive money in return for work or service.
She earns a good salary at her new job.
Merit
The quality of being particularly good or worthy.
The merit of his argument is undeniable.
Earn
To merit or deserve through action or qualities.
Their victory was hard-earned.
Merit
To deserve or be worthy of something.
She merits consideration for her years of dedication.
Earn
To win something in a competition or challenge.
She earned the first prize in the art contest.
Merit
A commendable quality or attribute.
One of the merits of this plan is its simplicity.
Earn
To gain something through effort.
He earned respect by always being honest.
Merit
Excellence or worth.
The scholarship rewards academic merit.
Earn
Obtain (money) in return for labour or services
I earn £10 an hour working in the shop
He earns his living as a lorry driver
Merit
Superior quality or worth; excellence
A proposal of some merit.
An ill-advised plan without merit.
Earn
To gain especially for the performance of service, labor, or work
Earned money by mowing lawns.
Merit
A quality deserving praise or approval; virtue
A store having the merit of being open late.
Earn
To acquire or deserve as a result of effort or action
She earned a reputation as a hard worker.
Merit
Demonstrated ability or achievement
Promotions based on merit alone.
Earn
To yield as return or profit
A savings account that earns interest on deposited funds.
Merit
Often merits An aspect of character or behavior deserving approval or disapproval
Judging people according to their merits.
Earn
(transitive) To gain (success, reward, recognition) through applied effort or work.
You can have the s'mores: you earned them, clearing the walkway of snow so well.
Merit
In various religions, spiritual credit granted for good works.
Earn
(transitive) To receive payment for work.
He earns seven million dollars a year as CEO.
My bank account is only earning one percent interest.
Merit
(Law) The factors to be considered in making a substantive decision in a case, independent of procedural or technical aspects
A trial on the merits.
Earn
(intransitive) To receive payment for work.
Now that you are earning, you can start paying me rent.
Merit
The factual content of a matter, apart from emotional, contextual, or formal considerations.
Earn
(transitive) To cause (someone) to receive payment or reward.
My CD earns me six percent!
Merit
To earn; deserve.
Earn
(transitive) To achieve by being worthy of.
To earn a spot in the top 20
Merit
To be worthy or deserving
Pupils are rewarded or corrected, as they merit.
Earn
To curdle (milk), especially in the cheesemaking process.
Merit
(countable) A claim to commendation or a reward.
Earn
Of milk: to curdle, espcially in the cheesemaking process.
Merit
(countable) A mark or token of approbation or to recognize excellence.
For her good performance in the examination, her teacher gave her ten merits.
Earn
To strongly long or yearn (for something or to do something).
Merit
Something deserving or worthy of positive recognition or reward.
His reward for his merit was a check for $50.
Earn
To grieve.
Merit
The sum of all the good deeds that a person does which determines the quality of the person's next state of existence and contributes to the person's growth towards enlightenment.
To acquire or make merit
Earn
To merit or deserve, as by labor or service; to do that which entitles one to (a reward, whether the reward is received or not).
The high reputeWhich he through hazard huge must earn.
Merit
Usually in the plural form the merits: the substantive rightness or wrongness of a legal argument, a lawsuit, etc., as opposed to technical matters such as the admissibility of evidence or points of legal procedure; (by extension) the overall good or bad quality, or rightness or wrongness, of some other thing.
Even though the plaintiff was ordered by the judge to pay some costs for not having followed the correct procedure, she won the case on the merits.
Earn
To acquire by labor, service, or performance; to deserve and receive as compensation or wages; as, to earn a good living; to earn honors or laurels.
I earn that [what] I eat.
The bread I have earned by the hazard of my life or the sweat of my brow.
Merit
The quality or state of deserving retribution, whether reward or punishment.
Earn
To grieve.
Merit
(transitive) To deserve, to earn.
Her performance merited wild applause.
Earn
To long; to yearn.
And ever as he rode, his heart did earnTo prove his puissance in battle brave.
Merit
(intransitive) To be deserving or worthy.
They were punished as they merited.
Earn
To curdle, as milk.
Merit
To reward.
Earn
Earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages;
How much do you make a month in your new job?
She earns a lot in her new job
This merger brought in lots of money
He clears $5,000 each month
Merit
The quality or state of deserving well or ill; desert.
Here may men see how sin hath his merit.
Be it known, that we, the greatest, are misthoughtFor things that others do; and when we fall,We answer other's merits in our name.
Earn
Acquire or deserve by one's efforts or actions
Merit
The quality or state of deserving well; worth; excellence.
Reputation is . . . oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.
To him the wit of Greece and Rome was known,And every author's merit, but his own.
Merit
Reward deserved; any mark or token of excellence or approbation; as, his teacher gave him ten merits.
Those laurel groves, the merits of thy youth.
Merit
To earn by service or performance; to have a right to claim as reward; to deserve; sometimes, to deserve in a bad sense; as, to merit punishment.
Merit
To reward.
Merit
To acquire desert; to gain value; to receive benefit; to profit.
Merit
Any admirable quality or attribute;
Work of great merit
Merit
The quality of being deserving (e.g., deserving assistance);
There were many children whose deservingness he recognized and rewarded
Merit
Be worthy or deserving;
You deserve a promotion after all the hard work you have done
Common Curiosities
Can merit be subjective?
Yes, assessments of merit can be subjective, influenced by personal judgments or institutional criteria.
What does it mean to earn a position?
To earn a position means to gain it through demonstrated ability or accumulated experience, typically in a professional context.
What does it mean to earn money?
Earning money means receiving payment for work performed or services provided.
How can one earn respect?
Respect is often earned by consistently displaying integrity, kindness, and competence.
Can earning power be improved?
Earning power can be improved by acquiring new skills, advancing education, gaining experience, or excelling in one’s career field.
What is merit-based scholarship?
A merit-based scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated high levels of academic achievement or special talents.
Is it possible to earn merit?
Yes, one can earn merit by demonstrating qualities or achievements that are valued and recognized by others, such as hard work, excellence, or ethical behavior.
How do you determine what one merits?
What one merits is often determined by assessing their contributions, impact, or adherence to specific standards or expectations.
How does merit affect professional advancement?
Professional advancement can be significantly influenced by an individual's merit, as perceived by evaluations of their performance and potential.
What role does merit play in educational settings?
In educational settings, merit often determines eligibility for honors, advanced placements, or scholarships based on academic performance or extracurricular achievements.
How can a company ensure fairness in merit-based decisions?
A company can ensure fairness in merit-based decisions by using clear, consistent criteria and ensuring all assessments are objective and free from personal biases.
What is a merit increase in employment?
A merit increase is a raise given to an employee based on their performance and achievements, reflecting their value to the organization.
What is the difference between earning a degree and earning a certificate?
Earning a degree generally involves a longer, more comprehensive course of study at a university or college, while a certificate usually denotes completion of a specific skill-based or vocational training program.
How do societal values affect perceptions of what is merited?
Societal values can greatly affect perceptions of merit, as different cultures or communities may value certain qualities, achievements, or behaviors more highly than others.
Is earning always tied to financial outcomes?
While earning is often associated with financial outcomes, it can also refer to acquiring non-monetary benefits like respect, privileges, or qualifications.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
