demerit

/di:'merit/

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Explanation of "Demerit"

Definition: The word "demerit" is a noun that has a couple of meanings:

Usage Instructions:

• Use "demerit" when you want to talk about negative aspects of something or when discussing penalties in a school or military context.

Examples:

1. Inadequate Quality: "When they reviewed the movie, they mentioned its demerits, such as poor acting and weak plot."

2. Mark Against a Person: "He received three demerits for being late to class."

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced discussions, you might use "demerit" in academic or professional settings when analyzing projects, policies, or literature. For example, "The committee evaluated the proposal and noted several demerits that could hinder its success."

Word Variants:

• Demeritorious (adjective): Describing something that has faults or is not worthy.
  • Example: "The demeritorious nature of the proposal raised concerns among the board members."

Different Meanings:

• While "demerit" primarily refers to faults or penalties, it can also imply a general sense of something being less effective or desirable compared to others.

Synonyms:

• Fault
• Disadvantage
• Drawback
• Penalty (in the context of a mark against a person)

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

Although "demerit" is a specific term, you can use related expressions to convey similar meanings: - "To have a black mark against someone": This idiom is similar to having demerits, meaning a record of wrongdoing. - Example: "After his late submissions, he now has a black mark against his name in the department."

Summary:

"Demerit" is a useful word for discussing faults or penalties in various contexts.

Academic

Noun

1. the quality of being inadequate or falling short of perfection
   • they discussed the merits and demerits of her novel
   • he knew his own faults much better than she did
2. a mark against a person for misconduct or failure; usually given in school or armed forces
   • ten demerits and he loses his privileges

Synonyms

• fault