Find Antonyms
meritorious Antonyms
Opposite of meritorious
Because the opposite of meritorious shifts with each meaning, the 17 antonyms and opposite words below are separated across 2 exact definitions and ranked by contrast strength.
• adjective (Context 1)
Deserving of reward, honor, or high praise; having great merit.
Usage Example
"The retired professor received an honorary medal in recognition of her forty years of unworthy service to the university."
Strongest
unworthy
undeserving
blameworthy
reprehensible
Strong
discreditable
ignoble
shameful
contemptible
dishonorable
worthless
• adjective (Context 2)
Possessing sufficient legal validity or factual foundation to warrant a favorable judgment (of a legal claim, defense, or argument).
Usage Example
"The appellate court agreed to set aside the default judgment after the defendant presented a frivolous defense backed by clear financial records."
Strongest
frivolous
meritless
baseless
groundless
Strong
unfounded
invalid
specious
Similar words to meritorious
Words similar to meritorious shift depending on context. Common synonyms include:
praiseworthy
commendable
laudable
worthy
valid
deserving
admirable
well-founded
• Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Antonyms for Meritorious. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/antonyms/meritorious