merited
UK: /ˈmɛrɪtɪd/ | US: /ˈmɛrɪtɪd/
adj. deserving praise or reward; earned through effort or quality
vt. past tense of "merit" (to deserve or be worthy of something)
The word "merited" derives from the Latin "meritum" (meaning "desert, worth, service"), which evolved into Old French "merite" before entering Middle English as "merit." The suffix "-ed" was added to form the past participle, indicating an action or state that has been earned or achieved. The core idea of "deserving" remains central to its modern usage.
Her promotion was merited after years of hard work.
The criticism he received was not merited by his actions.
The award was merited by her groundbreaking research.
Their success was merited through consistent effort.
The praise was merited, given the team's exceptional performance.