Master confusing words with ease
Meretricious vs. Meritorious
Meretricious
/ˌmerəˈtrɪʃəs/Examples:
The film's special effects were deemed meretricious by critics.His promises were meretricious, lacking any real substance.The building's meretricious facade impressed tourists but not architects.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Meritorious
/ˌmerəˈtɔːriəs/Examples:
Her meritorious actions earned her the community's respect.Recognition was given to him for his meritorious service.The award honors meritorious achievements in science.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Meretricious and meritorious both start with mer but have opposite implications; meretricious suggests superficial or flashy, while meritorious indicates genuine worthiness.
- Remember that meretricious resembles trick which is part of superficial, as it implies only seeming to be of value.
- Meritorious contains merit, which suggests merit or deserving praise for its genuine worth.
- Meretricious often has a negative connotation, whereas meritorious carries a positive recognition.
- The u in meritorious can be related to superior, indicating its quality and worthiness.
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