meritocracy

noun

mer·​i·​toc·​ra·​cy ˌmer-ə-ˈtä-krə-sē 

plural meritocracies

: a system, organization, or society in which people are chosen and moved into positions of success, power, and influence on the basis of their demonstrated abilities and merit (see merit entry 1 sense 1b)

Only the elite, in that new meritocracy, would enjoy the opportunity for self-fulfillment …

—Robert Penn Warren

Though founded theoretically on principles of meritocracy, the public arena was parceled into spheres of personal influence …

—Mac Margolis

A paradox lies at the heart of this new American meritocracy. Merit has replaced the old system of inherited privilege … . But merit, it turns out, is at least partly class-based. Parents with money, education and connections cultivate in their children the habits that the meritocracy rewards.

—Janny Scott et al.

also : the people who are moved into such positions

a member of the meritocracy

France remains a tightly centralized nation, run by a governmental and business meritocracy carefully prepared for positions of power in elite graduate schools.

—Jim Hoagland

meritocratic

ˌmer-ə-tə-ˈkra-tik 

adjective

Examples of meritocracy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This administration understands the importance of meritocracy and is looking forward to the future. —Casey Ryan, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025

Trump's missing the point on DEI and meritocracy, experts say Meanwhile, the three department employees who spoke to ABC News said they're completely stumped on why they were issued administrative leave notices. —Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 3 Feb. 2025

Critics argue that these efforts are divisive, ineffective or even detrimental to meritocracy. —Aniela Unguresan, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025

Advancing the idea of meritocracy serves to protect the access for and ensure the progress of white male mediocracy. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

merit entry 1 + -o- + -cracy

Note: The neologism meritocracy was apparently first used in print by the British industrial sociologist Alan Fox (1920-2002) in the article "Class and Equality," Socialist Commentary, May, 1956, pp. 11-13. The word is now closely associated with the book The Rise of the Meritocracy (London: Thames & Hudson, 1958) by the sociologist and politician Michael Young (1915-2002), who is often credited with its coinage.

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above