1. not deserved or earned

Examples

• The harsh criticism seemed completely unmerited given her excellent performance.
• He received unmerited praise for work that others had completed.
• The punishment was unmerited and unfair to the innocent student.
• She felt the award was unmerited since she had barely contributed to the project.
• The negative reviews appeared unmerited after audiences loved the film.
• His unmerited confidence often annoyed his more experienced colleagues.