as in weaknesses
a defect in character
my keyboarding has the advantage of speed but the demerit of inaccuracy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of demerits
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, 6 June 2026
Those were the only demerits of the night for Ohtani.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 6 May 2026
Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 June 2026
Those were the only demerits of the night for Ohtani.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demerits
Noun
-
Bedoya offers insights on this year’s biggest contenders, plus gives his favorites, sleepers and a look at Team USA’s strengths and weaknesses heading into the Cup.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
-
The note, which was published by Xbox on Xbox Wire, does not address potential layoffs but instead focuses on specific weaknesses within the division, including a 3% accountability margin for the fiscal year.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
California has over 500 active faults, but scientists cannot predict when earthquakes will occur.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
-
For all his faults, Beckham was named one of the top 100 Giants players of all time by an independent committee, according to the team.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
These days, most red-letter sins in NCAA sports come in gray, and more often invisible ink.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 June 2026
-
The length exacerbates all the rest of the series' sins, including a lack of emotional depth, gratuitous suffering and violence, long stretches of boring, listless plotting and extraneous characters.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
In all these books, animals serve as mirrors, reflecting our personal and societal shortcomings and shame, our hubris, anxiety, and moral failings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
The North Korean players’ physical aptitude was clear, but coaches were aware of their technical and tactical shortcomings.—
Andrew McNicol,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demerits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demerits. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
