Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) - Changes in Balances of Each Component (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Beginning balance	$ 1,501,636	$ 1,340,328	$ 1,408,260	$ 1,303,463
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications			49,542	(28,993)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	(228)	(942)	(2,472)	(2,882)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			47,070	(31,875)
Reclassification adjustment under ASU 2018-02				0
Ending balance	1,749,012	1,361,426	1,749,012	1,361,426
Total
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Beginning balance	14,602	(24,868)	(21,422)	(2,908)
Reclassification adjustment under ASU 2018-02			(626)	(626)
Ending balance	25,648	(35,409)	25,648	(35,409)
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Securities Available for Sale
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Beginning balance			(6,343)	8,970
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications			50,545	(30,032)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income			(2,667)	(3,173)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			47,878	(33,205)
Reclassification adjustment under ASU 2018-02			1,932
Ending balance	41,535	(22,303)	41,535	(22,303)
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Cash Flow Hedges
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Beginning balance			(559)	(1,125)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications			(1,003)	1,039
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income			195	291
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			(808)	1,330
Reclassification adjustment under ASU 2018-02			(242)
Ending balance	(1,367)	(37)	(1,367)	(37)
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Defined Benefit Plans
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Beginning balance			(14,520)	(10,753)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications			0	0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income			0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			0	0
Reclassification adjustment under ASU 2018-02			(2,316)
Ending balance	$ (14,520)	$ (13,069)	$ (14,520)	$ (13,069)

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Reclassification from AOCI to Retained Earnings, Tax Effect

No definition available.

Name:	frme_TaxCutsandJobsActReclassificationfromAOCItoRetainedEarningsTaxEffect
Namespace Prefix:	frme_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax, before reclassification adjustments, of other comprehensive income (loss), attributable to parent.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118951672&loc=d3e1436-108581

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=SL7669686-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OciBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTaxAttributableToParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax of other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to parent entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=SL7669625-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109239629&loc=SL4573702-111684

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108774443&loc=SL4569643-111683

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=SL7669619-108580

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 19
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108774443&loc=SL4569616-111683

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTaxAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax of reclassification adjustments of other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to parent.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=SL7669686-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118951672&loc=d3e1436-108581

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAociCurrentPeriodNetOfTaxAttributableToParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total of all stockholders' equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which are attributable to the parent. The amount of the economic entity's stockholders' equity attributable to the parent excludes the amount of stockholders' equity which is allocable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (noncontrolling interest, minority interest). This excludes temporary equity and is sometimes called permanent equity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 4.E)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27010918&loc=d3e74512-122707

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(31))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(30))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AccumulatedGainLossNetCashFlowHedgeParentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AccumulatedDefinedBenefitPlansAdjustmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: