Name:	frme_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedLiabilitiesFederalHomeLoanBankAdvances
Namespace Prefix:	frme_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed, Subordinated Debentures

No definition available.

Name:	frme_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedSubordinatedDebentures
Namespace Prefix:	frme_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Debt Instrument, Fixed Interest Rate, Term

No definition available.

Name:	frme_DebtInstrumentFixedInterestRateTerm
Namespace Prefix:	frme_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Federal Home Loan Bank, Advances, Required Collateral, Percent

No definition available.

Name:	frme_FederalHomeLoanBankAdvancesRequiredCollateralPercent
Namespace Prefix:	frme_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Long-term Debt, Average Outstanding Amount

No definition available.

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

Long-term Debt, Maximum Amount Outstanding During Period

No definition available.

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

Private Debt Issuance Sale, Number of Institutional Investors

No definition available.

Name:	frme_PrivateDebtIssuanceSaleNumberofInstitutionalInvestors
Namespace Prefix:	frme_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of borrowings as of the balance sheet date from the Federal Home Loan Bank, which are primarily used to cover shortages in the required reserve balance and liquidity shortages.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479118&loc=d3e64650-112822

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

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466505&loc=SL123495323-112611

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124435984&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124429444&loc=SL124452920-239629

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69C
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495737-112612

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69B
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495735-112612

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

The average effective interest rate during the reporting period.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124435984&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1F
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466505&loc=SL123495355-112611

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 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

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

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of unused borrowing capacity under the long-term financing arrangement that is available to the entity as of the balance sheet date.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(b))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

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

Discloses the single interest rate [if] applicable to the advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank, by branch, as of the Balance Sheet date.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123599511&loc=d3e64711-112823

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479118&loc=d3e64650-112822

Name:	us-gaap_FederalHomeLoanBankAdvancesBranchOfFHLBBankInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount, excluding unamortized premium (discount) and debt issuance cost, of long-term debt. Excludes lease obligation.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466204&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69C
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495737-112612

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126734703&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69B
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495735-112612

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466505&loc=SL123495340-112611

Reference 7: 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(22))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

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

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=frme_LevelOneBancorpIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=frme_FivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyEightandSixPointSevenFiveSubordinatedNotesDueTwentyTwentyEightMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=frme_SeniorUnsecuredNotesDue20285PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FederalHomeLoanBankAdvancesOptionAxis=us-gaap_FederalHomeLoanBankAdvancesPutableOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SecuritiesSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchaseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=frme_SubordinatedDebenturesAndTermLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubordinatedDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=frme_SubordinatedNotesDue20286Point75PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=frme_AcquiredSubordinatedNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=frme_ThreeMonthSecuredOvernightFundingRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementScenarioAxis=srt_ScenarioForecastMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=frme_SecuredOvernightFinancingRateSOFRMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=frme_FirstMerchantCapitalTrustIiMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=frme_ThreeMonthLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=frme_AmerianaCapitalTrustIMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: