TOEIC Link Part 5: demur versus demure

Demur and demure are separated by a single final letter, so Part 5 uses them to test whether you read the sentence for grammar and meaning rather than shape. Demur is a verb meaning to object, raise a doubt, or hesitate before agreeing. Demure is an adjective meaning quiet, modest, and reserved in manner. The item is decided by asking whether the blank names an act of objecting or describes someone's manner. For the full set of look-alike traps, start with the commonly confused word pairs master index.

The core rule: object versus modest

• demur (verb) = to raise an objection or hesitate before agreeing to something. It names an action, usually a mild or polite form of resistance. The board demurred at the proposed budget increase. It answers what did they do? Anchor it with demur → object; to demur at a plan, without demur — showing or withholding hesitation.
• demure (adjective) = modest, reserved, and quiet in behavior or appearance. It describes a person or manner. She gave a demure smile and said little. It answers what were they like? Anchor it with demure → modest; a demure manner, a demure reply — descriptions of reserved behavior.

A quick anchor: demur = object (they demurred); demure = modest (a demure smile). The word about raising an objection is demur; the word about quiet, reserved manner is demure.

Why Part 5 likes this pair

The two words differ only by the final e, and both come from formal registers, so the wrong option looks right at a glance. Grammar decides it first: demur fills a verb slot, while demure fills an adjective slot before a noun or after a linking verb. If the sentence needs an action of objecting or hesitating, you need demur. If it needs a description of quiet, modest behavior, you need demure.

The union representatives __ when management proposed cutting the overtime rate.

The sentence needs a past-tense verb of objecting, so it needs demurred.

The new assistant offered a __ nod rather than a loud greeting.

The sentence needs an adjective describing a reserved manner, so it needs demure.

Spotting the clue

Check whether the blank is doing the work of a verb or an adjective:

• Does the sentence need an action of objecting, hesitating, or declining — often after a subject and near at, to, or when? → choose demur (they demurred at the terms, agreed without demur).
• Does the sentence need a description of quiet, modest behavior or appearance — often before a noun or after was, seemed, or looked? → choose demure (a demure reply, she stayed demure).

A quick test: can you replace the word with "object" or "hesitate" and keep the meaning? Then it is demur. Can you replace it with "modest" or "reserved"? Then it is demure. In TOEIC business scenarios, demur appears in negotiation, approval, and meeting passages — someone demurs at a price or a deadline — while demure shows up far less often and only as a character or manner description. For more pairs where meaning turns on business context, see the business and finance confusable pairs study guide.

Common Part 5 patterns

TOEIC Part 5 reuses a few frames for this pair. Recognizing them saves seconds on test day:

• "the committee / board __ at ..." → demur (object). The committee demurred at the revised terms.
• "agreed / accepted without __" → demur (noun: objection). The staff accepted the change without demur.
• "a __ smile / nod / reply" → demure (modest). She answered with a demure smile.
• "seemed / remained __" → demure (reserved). The candidate remained demure throughout the interview.

Match the frame first, then confirm with the meaning: an act of objecting → demur; a quiet, modest manner → demure.

Practice check

Decide which word fits each blank:

1. Several directors __ when the merger timeline was moved up.
2. The intern gave a __ wave and slipped quietly into the room.
3. The client accepted the new fee schedule without __.
4. Her __ demeanor made her seem calmer than everyone else.

Answers: 1. demurred (objected); 2. demure (modest); 3. demur (objection); 4. demure (reserved).

The takeaway: demur is a verb meaning to object or hesitate, and demure is an adjective meaning modest and reserved. Decide by asking whether the sentence needs an action of objecting or a description of manner — and remember that on TOEIC, negotiation and approval passages make demur the frequent one. For more distinctions like this one, keep working through the commonly confused word pairs master index.