demerit

noun

de·​mer·​it di-ˈmer-ət 

dē-,

-ˈme-rət

1

obsolete : offense

2

a

: a quality that deserves blame or lacks merit : fault, defect

b

: lack of merit

3

: a mark usually entailing a loss of privilege given to an offender

Synonyms

• dereliction
• failing
• fault
• foible
• frailty
• shortcoming
• sin
• vice
• want
• weakness

Examples of demerit in a Sentence

Students are given demerits if they arrive late for classes.

my keyboarding has the advantage of speed but the demerit of inaccuracy

Recent Examples on the Web

This is the first year where having three losses was not considered a demerit. —Chuck Todd, NBC News, 6 Dec. 2024

Restaurants that receive more than 30 demerits are required to immediately fix the most critical violations and start corrective procedures on all the other violations within 48 hours. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2024

Slight demerits are due for the Josh Brown and Corey Perry contracts, though. —The Athletic Nhl Staff, The Athletic, 6 July 2024

As are demerits, detentions, loss of privileges, and any other consequence facing a student who breaks the rules. —Deborah Alexander, New York Daily News, 13 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French demerite, from Medieval Latin demeritum, from neuter of demeritus, past participle of demerēre to be undeserving of, from Latin, to earn, from de- + merēre to merit

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

demerit

noun

de·​mer·​it di-ˈmer-ət 

1

: a quality that deserves blame : fault

2

: a mark placed against a person's record for some fault or offense