unmerited

Unmerited is an English adjective describing something that is not deserved or earned. It is typically used of praise, blame, favor, or punishment that is not warranted by the subject’s actions, qualities, or disposition. In religious or moral discourse, the term is common in phrases such as unmerited grace or unmerited pardon, where beneficence is granted not on merit but by a higher principle or authority.

Etymology: The word combines the prefix un- with merited, from Middle English, tracing to Old French merit and ultimately Latin meritus meaning deserved. The form conveys the sense of lacking merit.

Usage: Unmerited is more formal or literary than everyday synonyms. It emphasizes the fairness or justice of attribution, often implying that merit should be required for the outcome. Common collocations include unmerited praise, unmerited blame, and unmerited suffering, as well as unmerited favor in theological contexts. It can sometimes be replaced by undeserved or unwarranted, depending on nuance and register.

See also: undeserved, unwarranted, unearned, merited, meritorious, grace.