as in weaknesses
a defect in character
my keyboarding has the advantage of speed but the demerit of inaccuracy
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Recent Examples of demerits
Restaurants with over 30 demerits are required to fix the worst issues immediately and remedy the rest within 48 hours.
—
Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2026
As a do-it-all shoe, however, the SL Evo has two major demerits.
—Scott Douglas, Outside, 12 Nov. 2025
Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2026
As a do-it-all shoe, however, the SL Evo has two major demerits.
—Scott Douglas, Outside, 12 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demerits
Noun
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Blending technology and old-fashioned instruction Among Colorado’s weaknesses last season, starting pitching was the most glaring.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
19 Feb. 2026
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His floor is described as very high due to every-day playing time, a solid lineup role and no glaring category weaknesses.—
Derek VanRiper,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Barca’s faults, however, went far beyond him.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
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These mini-seismic events are not considered true earthquakes because there is no movement along faults or tectonic plate boundaries.—
Tammie Souza,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Its roots are in publicly paying penance for serious sins or crimes in the eyes of the church, like adultery or apostasy, which means renouncing the church and its beliefs.—
Lianna Norman,
Florida Times-Union,
16 Feb. 2026
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The attempt to expunge Andrew and his sins from the Royal Family is interesting insofar as it is doomed.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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According to industry experts, teachers have often become the shock absorbers of systemic shortcomings, and students are among those most affected by the resulting gaps in engagement and preparation for future challenges.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
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Jagged shards of memory shown in flashbacks suggest Laura’s fear and vulnerability as a young girl (played by the filmmakers’ daughter Eliz Mundruczó), alongside indications of narcissistic, at times violent Ivan’s shortcomings as a parent.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demerits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demerits. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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