beyond merit

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "beyond merit" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is not based on merit or is outside the realm of merit-based evaluation. Example: "The decision to promote him was based on connections rather than performance, which felt beyond merit to the rest of the team."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The Legionnaires on parade are apparently like fascinating international prodigal sons-favored, forgiven, and loved beyond merit.

The New Yorker

By going beyond merit selection, the A.B.A. thinks there is much to be done to curb the corrosive effects of excessive money and partisanship in electing fair and impartial American judges.

The New York Times

Human beings are beyond merit, and evolution-wise we are very much stagnating.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

But beyond the merit of the work, determining Kurt Cobain's legacy is tricky business.

The Guardian - Opinion

Some aspects of our lives are conveniently forgotten or glossed over if they make us look bad in our own eyes, and we may accept others' white lies as the truth about us, inflate our achievements beyond their merit, and so forth.

Independent

And the administration also knows that the Europeans are less united than some of them might wish.The European split over Iraq went far beyond the merits of deposing Saddam Hussein.

The Economist

But beyond its merits as a literary work, its merits or limits as pornography, there lies the paradox that this incendiary book was written by a woman who wore little make-up and no jewellery, who dressed with quiet elegance, who lived out a polite, bluestocking existence in a small flat with her parents and son.

The Guardian - Books

The contrarians, who are not a group, but economists and managers who recognize long-term German problems that go beyond the merits and current pleasures of the strong recovery, agree on a central issue: they see no deep structural reforms as components of Germany's 2010 upswing.

The New York Times

Hulu's showing of "Prisoners" has a significance beyond the merits of the show itself: It's a rare case of a TV series's being presented in America in a foreign language — in this case Hebrew — with English subtitles, even if only online.

The New York Times - Arts

What told against the old masters was the loss of the mood of overconfident optimism in which so many works had been bid up beyond their merits.

Forbes

On the basis of the use case study, we have found several benefits of WTIF within and beyond technical merits that: WTIF is a truly flexible integration framework for SD to build intelligent enterprise applications but not only for end-user oriented mashup applications.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "beyond merit" to express that a decision or outcome is based on factors other than skill or qualification, such as connections or favoritism.

Common error

Avoid using "beyond merit" when you simply mean something has additional benefits or qualities. Ensure the context genuinely implies that merit is not the primary consideration.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "beyond merit" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a verb or noun to indicate that something extends outside the realm of or is not based on merit. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness and usability of this phrase in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "beyond merit" is a grammatically sound prepositional phrase used to convey that decisions or evaluations are based on factors other than skill or qualification. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is correct, though infrequent, and it typically appears in News & Media and Science contexts. When using "beyond merit", ensure the context accurately reflects a departure from merit-based considerations. Alternatives include "irrelevant to merit" or "not based on achievement".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not based on achievement

This alternative directly states the lack of reliance on accomplishments.

irrelevant to merit

This alternative emphasizes that merit is not a factor in the situation.

regardless of aptitude

This phrase suggests that skill or talent is not taken into account.

unrelated to deservingness

This alternative highlights the lack of connection to what someone deserves.

unwarranted by skill

This emphasizes that the situation isn't justified by skill.

aside from qualifications

This phrase points out that factors other than qualifications are considered.

excluding competence

This alternative conveys the omission of competence as a criterion.

irrespective of worth

This alternative focuses on ignoring the value or worth of something.

disregarding excellence

This implies that high quality or superiority is being overlooked.

without regard to value

This alternative highlights the lack of consideration for the worth of something.

FAQs

How can I use "beyond merit" in a sentence?

You can use "beyond merit" to indicate that a decision or outcome is based on factors other than skill or qualification. For example, "The promotion was granted "beyond merit", relying more on personal connections."

What are some alternatives to "beyond merit"?

Alternatives include "irrelevant to merit", "not based on achievement", or "unrelated to deservingness", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "the decision was beyond merit"?

Yes, it's grammatically correct. It suggests the decision wasn't primarily based on skill, qualification or deservingness.

What does "beyond the merits" mean, and how does it differ from "beyond merit"?

"Beyond the merits" typically refers to considering aspects outside the specific qualities of something, while "beyond merit" focuses on decisions made independent of one's qualifications or abilities. Both imply a shift in focus away from inherent qualities.