richly merit

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "richly merit" is not correct in standard written English.
It is likely intended to convey that something deserves a lot of merit or recognition, but the combination of "richly" and "merit" does not work well together. Example: "The project was a success and richly merits recognition for its innovative approach."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Even before reaching his new post, Connor accused its Mormon population of disloyalty and warned that those who uttered "treasonable sentiments in this district … must seek a more genial soil, or receive the punishment they so richly merit".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

My exasperation with Jeff is checked only by deference to the judgment of the semi-divine Laura, who sees something in him which eludes me — and him, too, on the evidence of his recurrent, richly merited self-deprecation.

The New Yorker

The inexplicable success of "Analyze This" and the unlikely, richly merited triumph of "The Sopranos" seem to have illuminated dim light bulbs over the heads of Barry Sonnenfeld and Barry Josephson, the film's producers, and the good people at Touchstone Pictures.

The New York Times

Even if he is not to be graced with the posthumous peerage — Lord Trundle of Brighton — that he so richly merits, his memory should at least be honored by his employers of the time.

The New Yorker

Partly on the strength of that chant boom, the group's lovely album "On Yoolis Night" has achieved considerable popularity by early-music standards, and it is richly merited.

The New York Times - Arts

He was playing very well between the lines but when you're a centre-forward and Champions League top scorer you always need goals". This richly merited win banished memories of the 1-0 Anfieldefeatatoto Manchester United and the 2-0 reverse at Southampton.

The Guardian - Sport

Even when the criticisms were richly merited, the overall effect of the hostility of his parliamentary party was to sanctify him in the eyes of activists who saw him not as the source of their party's tribulations, but the victim of them.

The Guardian - Opinion

In our first winter here, we managed to blow a tyre in the midst of a snowstorm, right under the George Washington Bridge, the neighbourhood which at that time richly merited its reputation as the crack capital of the western world, and with the burned out hulks of what once had been cars ominously decorating the roadside.

The Guardian

With 102 league goals and that two-point final margin, no-one can begrudge City a success that is richly merited, for all Liverpool's efforts this season.

BBC

Harlow Elliot Woodword, in Epitaphs from the Old Burying Ground in Dorchester, said that Atherton had believed in witches and "felt it to be a duty which he owed to God and to his Country to mete out to the poor creatures, against whom accusations were brought, the punishment, which, in his opinion, they so richly merited".

Wikipedia

Put 'em together and it's almost a feature release, which is what these richly thoughtful yet ultra-low-budget films merit.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

If aiming for emphasis, pair "richly" with nouns other than "merit" to create a more natural and impactful expression. For instance, use "richly detailed" or "richly decorated" instead.

Common error

Avoid combining "richly" directly with "merit" as it sounds unnatural to many native English speakers. Instead, opt for stronger, more accepted synonyms like "greatly" or "fully" to enhance clarity and professionalism.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "richly merit" functions as a verb phrase where "richly" modifies the verb "merit". However, Ludwig AI indicates that this combination is not standard in English. Examples in Ludwig show its use is rare and often replaceable with more common alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Wiki

8%

Academia

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "richly merit" aims to convey that something deserves significant recognition, it's not a standard or widely accepted expression in English. Ludwig AI highlights that its usage can sound awkward, and more common alternatives like "greatly deserve" or "fully warrant" are generally preferred for enhanced clarity. The phrase appears infrequently across various contexts, including news and media, making it a less impactful choice. It is therefore advisable to opt for stronger synonyms to emphasize the deserving nature in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

greatly deserve

Replaces "richly" with "greatly" to emphasize the deserving aspect.

fully warrant

Emphasizes the justification for receiving something, replacing both "richly" and "merit".

highly deserve

Uses "highly" as an intensifier, which is a more common and accepted alternative to "richly".

amply deserve

Uses "amply" to suggest more than sufficient reason to deserve something.

thoroughly deserve

Highlights the completeness of the deserving quality.

well deserve

A more standard and grammatically sound way of expressing the idea of deserving something.

are truly worthy of

Shifts the focus to the worthiness of something, rather than the act of meriting.

justly deserve

Highlights the fairness and justice in deserving something.

earn fairly

Implies that something has been earned in an equitable manner.

rightfully earn

Indicates that something is earned as a matter of right or entitlement.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to the phrase "richly merit"?

You can use alternatives like "greatly deserve", "fully warrant", or "highly deserve" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "richly merit"?

While not strictly incorrect, "richly merit" is not a common or widely accepted phrase in standard English. It's often better to use more conventional alternatives for improved clarity.

How can I use "richly" in a more appropriate way?

Consider pairing "richly" with nouns other than "merit", such as "richly detailed", "richly decorated", or "richly informative".

What does "richly merit" mean?

"Richly merit" is intended to convey that something deserves a lot of merit or recognition. However, the combination of "richly" and "merit" isn't considered standard usage. Using phrases like "greatly deserves" or "is highly deserving of merit" can be more effective.