Credit vs. Merit: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Credit typically refers to financial trustworthiness or recognition for something done. Merit refers to the quality or worth of an action or individual based on their achievements or attributes.
Key Differences
Credit is often about acknowledgment for contributions or achievements, often seen in contexts like receiving credit for work done. Merit refers to the inherent value or worthiness of something, like being promoted on merit.
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Dec 06, 2023
In financial terms, credit refers to the ability to obtain goods or services before payment, based on trust that payment will be made. Merit, in contrast, is about the quality of something being deserving of reward or praise, unrelated to financial aspects.
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Dec 06, 2023
Credit can also mean intellectual or artistic acknowledgment, as in giving credit to an author for their work. Merit often involves judgment based on quality, like a decision made on the merits of the case.
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Dec 06, 2023
Credit in education refers to the recognition of having completed a part of a course or study. Merit in this context could be about the excellence or high standards achieved by a student.
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Dec 06, 2023
In a broader sense, credit can be about belief or confidence in someone's ability or character. Merit focuses on the intrinsic qualities that make something or someone commendable.
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Dec 06, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Acknowledgment or trust for something done or received.
Inherent worthiness or excellence of something or someone.
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Dec 06, 2023
Usage in Finance
Ability to receive something with future payment.
Not applicable in a financial context.
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Dec 06, 2023
Usage in Academia
Recognition for completing a course component.
Quality of work leading to high grades or honors.
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Dec 06, 2023
Basis of Judgment
Based on contribution or achievement.
Based on inherent quality or excellence.
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Dec 06, 2023
Nature
Often external acknowledgment or trust.
Intrinsic value or worthiness.
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Dec 06, 2023
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Credit and Merit Definitions
Credit
Acknowledgment for a contribution or achievement.
She received credit for her innovative research.
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Nov 26, 2023
Merit
Worthiness or deservingness for reward or praise.
He was promoted on the merit of his hard work.
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Nov 26, 2023
Credit
The ability to obtain goods or services before payment.
He bought the laptop on credit.
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Nov 26, 2023
Merit
Quality of being particularly good or worthy.
Her proposal was chosen for its outstanding merit.
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Nov 26, 2023
Credit
An arrangement for deferred payment of a loan or purchase
A store that offers credit.
Bought my stereo on credit.
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Oct 19, 2023
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Merit
Superior quality or worth; excellence
A proposal of some merit.
An ill-advised plan without merit.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
A quality deserving praise or approval; virtue
A store having the merit of being open late.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
The time allowed for deferred payment
An automatic 30-day credit on all orders.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
Often merits An aspect of character or behavior deserving approval or disapproval
Judging people according to their merits.
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Oct 19, 2023
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.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Reputation for solvency and integrity entitling a person to be trusted in buying or borrowing
You should have no trouble getting the loan if your credit is good.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
The factual content of a matter, apart from emotional, contextual, or formal considerations.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Official certification or recognition that a student has successfully completed a course of study
He received full credit for his studies at a previous school.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
To be worthy or deserving
Pupils are rewarded or corrected, as they merit.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Often credits An acknowledgment of work done, as in the production of a motion picture or publication
At the end of the film we stayed to watch the credits.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Influence based on the good opinion or confidence of others
Used his credit with the police to get them to devote more time to the case.
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Oct 19, 2023
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.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Recognition or approval for an act, ability, or quality
Gave them credit for a job well done.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
Something deserving or worthy of positive recognition or reward.
His reward for his merit was a check for $50.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
A source of honor or distinction
This exceptional athlete is a credit to our team.
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Oct 19, 2023
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
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
A reputation for sound character or quality; standing
It is to their credit that they worked so hard without complaining.
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Oct 19, 2023
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.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Belief or confidence in the truth of something
"They give no credit to [his] scurrilous assertions" (John Edgar Wideman).
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
The quality or state of deserving retribution, whether reward or punishment.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
(transitive) To deserve, to earn.
Her performance merited wild applause.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
(intransitive) To be deserving or worthy.
They were punished as they merited.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
To regard as having performed an action or being endowed with a quality
Had to credit them with good intentions.
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Oct 19, 2023
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.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Credit
To ascribe or attribute
Credit the invention to him.
Credited her recovery to an innovative treatment.
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Oct 19, 2023
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.
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Oct 19, 2023
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.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
(transitive) To believe; to put credence in. British usage?
Someone said there were over 100,000 people there, but I can't credit that.
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Oct 19, 2023
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.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
To add to an account.
Credit accounts receivable with the amount of the invoice.
For the payroll period credit employees' tips to their wages paid account and debit their minimum wage payable account.
The full amount of the purchase has been credited to your account.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
(transitive) To acknowledge the contribution of.
I credit the town council with restoring the shopping district.
Credit the point guard with another assist.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
(transitive) To bring honour or repute upon; to do credit to; to raise the estimation of.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
The quality of being deserving (e.g., deserving assistance);
There were many children whose deservingness he recognized and rewarded
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
(uncountable) Recognition, respect and admiration.
I give you credit for owning up to your mistake.
He arrived five minutes late, but to his credit he did work an extra ten minutes at the end of his shift.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
Be worthy or deserving;
You deserve a promotion after all the hard work you have done
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
(countable) Acknowledgement of a contribution, especially in the performing arts.
She received a singing credit in last year's operetta.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
Inherent value or excellence.
The merit of her argument was recognized by all.
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Nov 26, 2023
Credit
Written titles and other information about the TV program or movie shown at the beginning and/or end of the TV program or movie.
They kissed, and then the credits rolled.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
A commendable quality or feature.
Her honesty is one of her greatest merits.
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Nov 26, 2023
Credit
A privilege of delayed payment extended to a buyer or borrower on the seller's or lender's belief that what is given will be repaid.
In view of your payment record, we are happy to extend further credit to you.
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Oct 19, 2023
Merit
A basis for reward or decision-making.
The scholarship was awarded based on merit.
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Nov 26, 2023
Credit
The time given for payment for something sold on trust.
A long credit or a short credit
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
A person's credit rating or creditworthiness, as represented by their history of borrowing and repayment (or non payment).
What do you mean my credit is no good?
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Credit
(accounting) An addition to certain accounts; the side of an account on which payments received are entered.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
(tax accounting) A reduction in taxes owed, or a refund for excess taxes paid.
Didn't you know that the IRS will refund any excess payroll taxes that you paid if you use the 45(B) general business credit?
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
A source of value, distinction or honour.
That engineer is a credit to the team.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
(science fiction) A unit of currency used in a fictional universe or timeframe.
To repair your star cruiser will cost 100,000 credits.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
A nominal unit of value assigned outside of a currency system.
Would you like to play? I put in a dollar and I've got two credits left.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
(uncountable) Recognition for having taken a course (class).
If you do not come to class, you will not get credit for the class, regardless of how well you do on the final.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
(countable) A course credit, a credit hour – used as measure if enough courses have been taken for graduation.
Dude, I just need 3 more credits to graduate – I can take socio-linguistics of Swahili if I want.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Reliance on the truth of something said or done; belief; faith; trust; confidence.
When Jonathan and the people heard these words they gave no credit unto them, nor received them.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Reputation derived from the confidence of others; esteem; honor; good name; estimation.
John Gilpin was a citizenOf credit and renown.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
A ground of, or title to, belief or confidence; authority derived from character or reputation.
The things which we properly believe, be only such as are received on the credit of divine testimony.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
That which tends to procure, or add to, reputation or esteem; an honor.
I published, because I was told I might please such as it was a credit to please.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Influence derived from the good opinion, confidence, or favor of others; interest.
Having credit enough with his master to provide for his own interest.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Trust given or received; expectation of future playment for property transferred, or of fulfillment or promises given; mercantile reputation entitling one to be trusted; - applied to individuals, corporations, communities, or nations; as, to buy goods on credit.
Credit is nothing but the expectation of money, within some limited time.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Credit
The time given for payment for lands or goods sold on trust; as, a long credit or a short credit.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Credit
The side of an account on which are entered all items reckoned as values received from the party or the category named at the head of the account; also, any one, or the sum, of these items; - the opposite of debit; as, this sum is carried to one's credit, and that to his debit; A has several credits on the books of B.
He touched the dead corpse of Public Credit, and it sprung upon its feet.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Credit
To confide in the truth of; to give credence to; to put trust in; to believe.
How shall they creditA poor unlearned virgin?
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
To bring honor or repute upon; to do credit to; to raise the estimation of.
You credit the church as much by your government as you did the school formerly by your wit.
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
To enter upon the credit side of an account; to give credit for; as, to credit the amount paid; to set to the credit of; as, to credit a man with the interest paid on a bond.
Crove, Helmholtz, and Meyer, are more than any others to be credited with the clear enunciation of this doctrine.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Approval;
Give her recognition for trying
He was given credit for his work
Give her credit for trying
The credits were given at the end of the film
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Used in the phrase `to your credit' in order to indicate an achievement deserving praise;
She already had several performances to her credit
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Recognition by a college or university that a course of studies has been successfully completed; typically measured in semester hours
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
A short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage;
The student's essay failed to list several important citations
The acknowledgments are usually printed at the front of a book
The article includes mention of similar clinical cases
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
An entry on a list of persons who contributed to a film or written work
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Give someone credit for something;
We credited her for saving our jobs
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Oct 19, 2023
Credit
Recognition of academic work completed.
She earned 30 credits this semester.
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Nov 26, 2023
Credit
Trust in someone's ability or character.
His credit as a reliable journalist is well-known.
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Nov 26, 2023
Credit
Attribution of work, especially in creative fields.
The director gave credit to the entire cast and crew.
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Nov 26, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
What does merit mean?
Merit is the inherent worthiness or excellence of something or someone.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
Can merit be financial?
Merit is typically non-financial, focusing on worthiness or quality.
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Dec 06, 2023
Is credit always positive?
Credit is usually positive, but in finance, it can imply debt.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
How is credit used in finance?
In finance, credit refers to the ability to obtain something with the promise of future payment.
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Dec 06, 2023
Does credit imply ownership?
Credit can imply intellectual or creative ownership.
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Dec 06, 2023
What is credit?
Credit refers to the acknowledgment or trust given for something achieved or borrowed.
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Dec 06, 2023
What is an example of merit in work?
Receiving a promotion for consistently high-quality work is an example of merit.
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Dec 06, 2023
Is merit always earned?
Merit is generally earned through demonstrated quality or excellence.
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Dec 06, 2023
Can merit be subjective?
Merit can sometimes be subjective, based on individual or cultural values.
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Dec 06, 2023
Can credit be given wrongly?
Yes, credit can sometimes be attributed incorrectly.
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Dec 06, 2023
How is merit determined?
Merit is often determined by assessing quality, value, or worthiness.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
How is credit established?
Credit is established through consistent performance or reliability.
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Dec 06, 2023
Does merit always lead to success?
Merit often leads to success, but external factors can also play a role.
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Dec 06, 2023
What role does merit play in awards?
Awards are often given based on the merit of work or achievements.
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Dec 06, 2023
Can credit be transferred?
In academia, credit can be transferred between institutions.
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Dec 06, 2023
How does merit impact decision-making?
Decisions based on merit focus on intrinsic qualities or achievements.
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Dec 06, 2023
What is academic credit?
Academic credit is recognition for the completion of educational coursework.
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Dec 06, 2023
Is credit important in collaborations?
Giving credit in collaborations is important for acknowledging contributions.
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Dec 06, 2023
What is a merit-based scholarship?
A merit-based scholarship is awarded based on academic or other forms of excellence.
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Dec 06, 2023
Can one have negative credit?
Yes, in finance, negative credit implies poor trustworthiness.
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Dec 06, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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