demote

verb

de·​mote di-ˈmōt How to pronounce demote (audio)
ˌdē-
demoted; demoting
Synonyms of demotenext

transitive verb

1
: to reduce to a lower grade or rank
demote a student
was demoted from major to captain
2
: to relegate to a less important position
a pitcher demoted to the bullpen
demotion noun

Examples of demote in a Sentence

Teachers can choose to demote a student to a lower grade. The army major was demoted to captain.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Back in 2018, Molitor said demoting Sanó was one of the most difficult decisions of his career. Dan Hayes, New York Times, 3 June 2026 But now, moving positions could hasten his return to the majors as the Twins have recently shifted Brooks Lee from shortstop to third after Lewis was demoted. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 3 June 2026 As this happened, thousands of Black teachers and principals were dismissed or demoted. David Blazar, The Conversation, 1 June 2026 First came Copernicus, who demoted the Earth from the center of the universe. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for demote

Word History

Etymology

de- + -mote (as in promote)

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of demote was in 1872

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Demote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demote. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

demote

verb
de·​mote di-ˈmōt How to pronounce demote (audio)
ˈdē-
demoted; demoting
: to reduce to a lower grade or rank
demotion noun

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