Disclosures About Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities - Estimated Fair Values of Financial Instruments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Assets:
Investment securities available for sale	$ 1,890,593	$ 1,790,025
Investment securities held to maturity	941,426	827,566
Loans held for sale	901	9,037
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	229,759	177,201
Interest-bearing time deposits	380,021	118,263
Investment securities available for sale	0	0
Investment securities held to maturity	0	0
Loans held for sale	0	0
Loans	0	0
Federal Home Loan Bank stock	0	0
Interest rate swap asset	0	0
Interest receivable	0	0
Liabilities:
Deposits	9,566,516	8,146,745
Borrowings:
Federal funds purchased		0
Securities sold under repurchase agreements	0	0
Federal Home Loan Bank advances	0	0
Subordinated debentures and other borrowings	0	0
Interest rate swap liability	0	0
Interest payable	0	0
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Interest-bearing time deposits	0	0
Investment securities available for sale	1,888,093	1,787,132
Investment securities held to maturity	920,146	799,884
Loans held for sale	901	9,037
Loans	0	0
Federal Home Loan Bank stock	28,736	28,736
Interest rate swap asset	84,658	27,855
Interest receivable	57,063	48,901
Liabilities:
Deposits	1,395,002	1,675,202
Borrowings:
Federal funds purchased		55,000
Securities sold under repurchase agreements	181,150	187,801
Federal Home Loan Bank advances	415,737	352,581
Subordinated debentures and other borrowings	276,306	123,571
Interest rate swap liability	87,205	29,299
Interest payable	5,587	6,754
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Interest-bearing time deposits	0	0
Investment securities available for sale	2,500	2,893
Investment securities held to maturity	21,280	27,682
Loans held for sale	0	0
Loans	9,253,762	8,335,340
Federal Home Loan Bank stock	0	0
Interest rate swap asset	0	0
Interest receivable	0	0
Liabilities:
Deposits	0	0
Borrowings:
Federal funds purchased		0
Securities sold under repurchase agreements	0	0
Federal Home Loan Bank advances	0	0
Subordinated debentures and other borrowings	0	0
Interest rate swap liability	0	0
Interest payable	0	0
Carrying Amount
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	229,759	177,201
Interest-bearing time deposits	380,021	118,263
Investment securities available for sale	1,890,593	1,790,025
Investment securities held to maturity	898,786	806,038
Loans held for sale	901	9,037
Loans	9,177,422	8,379,026
Federal Home Loan Bank stock	28,736	28,736
Interest rate swap asset	84,658	27,855
Interest receivable	57,063	48,901
Liabilities:
Deposits	10,965,988	9,839,956
Borrowings:
Federal funds purchased		55,000
Securities sold under repurchase agreements	181,150	187,946
Federal Home Loan Bank advances	400,817	351,072
Subordinated debentures and other borrowings	285,197	138,685
Interest rate swap liability	87,205	29,299
Interest payable	$ 5,587	$ 6,754

Borrowed Funds [Abstract]

No definition available.

Name:	frme_BorrowedFundsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	frme_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest Bearing Deposits with Banks, Fair Value Disclosure

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	frme_InterestBearingDepositsWithBanksFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	frme_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Interest Payable Fair Value Disclosure

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Interest Receivable, Fair Value Disclosure

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	frme_InterestReceivableFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	frme_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(6))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121558606&loc=SL82898722-210454

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121553693&loc=d3e26610-111562

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121645371&loc=d3e27161-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of deposit liabilities held by the entity, including, but not limited to, foreign and domestic, interest and noninterest bearing, demand deposits, saving deposits, negotiable orders of withdrawal (NOW) and time deposits.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fair value portion of short term borrowing where a bank borrows, at the federal funds rate, from another bank.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13(3)(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fair value portion of borrowing from Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank).

+ References

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fair value of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121645371&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(6))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121645371&loc=SL120269820-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value as of the balance sheet date of interest rate derivative assets, which includes all such derivative instruments in hedging and nonhedging relationships that are recognized as assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestRateDerivativeAssetsAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value as of the balance sheet date of interest rate derivative liabilities, which includes all such derivative instruments in hedging and nonhedging relationships that are recognized as liabilities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fair value portion of investments in Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) stock.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentInFederalHomeLoanBankStockFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of loan receivable, including, but not limited to, mortgage loans held for investment, finance receivables held for investment, policy loans on insurance contracts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2196772

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansReceivableFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, before valuation allowance, of financing receivable classified as held-for-sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121593590&loc=d3e4428-111522

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 310
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120238483&loc=d3e48678-111004

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansReceivableHeldForSaleAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of other liabilities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fair value portion of securities that an entity sells and agrees to repurchase at a specified date for a specified price.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121572278&loc=d3e13433-108611

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis=us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: