This is the 2646th most frequent Portuguese word.
merecem
"Deserve."
Here, 'merecem' is used to indicate that the students are worthy of receiving something due to their actions.
Os estudantes merecem uma recompensa pelo seu esforço.
The students deserve a reward for their effort.
In this sentence, 'merecem' suggests that respect is a fundamental right that everyone is entitled to.
Todos merecem ser tratados com respeito.
Everyone deserves to be treated with respect.
Here, 'merecem' is used to express the idea of deserving success as a result of hard work and preparation.