Share-Based Compensation - Components of Awards (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-tax compensation expense	$ 4,600	$ 4,115	$ 3,592
Income tax benefit	(581)	(1,276)	(1,276)
Total share-based compensation expense, net of income taxes	4,019	2,839	2,316
Stock and ESPP Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-tax compensation expense	96	101	109
Income tax benefit	(29)	(70)	(97)
Total share-based compensation expense, net of income taxes	67	31	12
Restricted Stock Awards
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-tax compensation expense	4,504	4,014	3,483
Income tax benefit	(552)	(1,206)	(1,179)
Total share-based compensation expense, net of income taxes	$ 3,952	$ 2,808	$ 2,304

Amount of expense for award under share-based payment arrangement. Excludes amount capitalized.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115993241&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, after tax, of expense for award under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of tax benefit for recognition of expense of award under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

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

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPDisclosuresByPlanAxis=frme_StockOptionsAndEmployeeStockPurchasePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPDisclosuresByPlanAxis=frme_RestrictedStockAwardsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: