meritocracy

IPA/ˌmerɪˈtɒkrəsi/
KK[mɛrɪtˈɔkrəsi]IPA/ˌmerɪˈtɑːkrəsi/

meritocracy — noun

  • meritocracysingular
  • meritocraciesplural

1. a society or organization where a person's success and position depend on their

1.nounC1
Definition

a society or organization where a person's success and position depend on their talent and effort rather than on who their family is or how much money they have

Example

Emre believes that a true meritocracy rewards people for their skills, not their family name.

that-clause after 'believes' describing an ideal system

Many critics argue that no society has ever been a perfect meritocracy.

passive: 'has never been' for describing an unrealized ideal

Common collocations
  • true meritocracy
  • perfect meritocracy
  • functioning meritocracy
  • create a meritocracy
  • build a meritocracy
  • operate as a meritocracy
  • call something a meritocracy
  • the idea of meritocracy
Synonyms
  • merit system

    more specific; used especially for government hiring and promotion based on exams and qualifications

  • talentocracy

    less common; places slightly stronger emphasis on natural talent rather than effort

  • achievement-based system

    descriptive phrase rather than a single word; broader and more transparent in meaning

Antonyms
  • aristocracy

    rule by hereditary nobility; power is inherited, not earned

  • plutocracy

    rule by the wealthy; money, not ability, determines status

  • nepotism

    favoritism shown to relatives, the opposite of merit-based selection

Grammar Patterns

a [adjective] meritocracy

meritocracy as a concept (uncountable)

Usage Note

Often used in discussions about education, employment, and social policy. Can describe both an ideal system and a real one that critics argue is imperfect. The word is sometimes used as an uncountable noun when talking about the general concept (e.g., 'the idea of meritocracy'), and as a countable noun when referring to a specific system (e.g., 'a true meritocracy').

Common Mistakes

Meritocracy means the rich people run everything.
Meritocracy means that talented people, regardless of wealth, can rise to top positions.
Meritocracy is about ability, not wealth; the opposite of plutocracy.
In a meritocracy, the ruler passes power to their children.
In a meritocracy, people earn positions through their own achievements, not through inheritance.
Meritocracy rejects hereditary power; that system is called aristocracy.

Word family

  • merit
    nounB1
  • merit
    verbB2
  • meritocratic
    adjectiveC1
  • meritocrat
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms describe systems where a specific group holds power — but the basis for power differs sharply. Aristocracy means rule by hereditary nobility: you are born into the ruling class. Plutocracy means rule by the wealthy: money determines who governs. Oligarchy means rule by a small, self-selected group that may use political connections or military force to hold power. Nepotism is not a system of government but a practice of favoring relatives, which directly undermines merit-based selection. Meritocracy stands apart because it judges people by their demonstrated ability rather than birth (aristocracy), wealth (plutocracy), connections (oligarchy), or family ties (nepotism). For example, 'She believes university admissions should be a meritocracy, not an aristocracy built on legacy preferences.'

aristocracy ↗plutocracyoligarchynepotism ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • idea of meritocracy
  • principle of meritocracy
  • belief in meritocracy
  • myth of meritocracy

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a true meritocracy
  • a perfect meritocracy
  • a functioning meritocracy

Prepositions

  • in a meritocracy
  • within a meritocracy
  • meritocracy of [something]

Etymology

LatinGreekEnglish

Meritocracy is a modern word, first used in 1958 by the British sociologist Michael Young in his satirical book 'The Rise of the Meritocracy.' It combines 'merit' (from Latin meritum, meaning 'something earned or deserved') with '-cracy' (from Greek kratos, meaning 'power' or 'rule'). Young intended the term as a warning against a future society where a powerful class justified its status through intelligence testing — but the word was later adopted more positively to describe systems that reward talent and hard work.

First known use

1956

1956, in the meaning defined above