demote

de·mote

transitive verb \di-ˈmōt, ˌdē-\

de·mot·edde·mot·ing

Definition of DEMOTE

1

: to reduce to a lower grade or rank

2

: to relegate to a less important position

— de·mo·tion \-ˈmō-shən\ noun

Examples of DEMOTE

1. Teachers can choose to demote a student to a lower grade.
2. The army major was demoted to captain.

Origin of DEMOTE

de- + -mote (as in promote)

First Known Use: circa 1891

Related to DEMOTE

Synonyms

break, bust, degrade, disrate, downgrade, reduce

Antonyms

advance, elevate, promote, raise

Related Words

can, cashier, dismiss, downsize, fire, lay off, sack; abase, debase, demean, humble, humiliate, lower

Near Antonyms

hire

Rhymes with DEMOTE

afloat, airboat, banknote, bareboat, bluecoat, blue note, box coat, bumboat, capote, car coat, catboat, C-note, compote, connote, coyote, cutthroat, deep throat, denote, devote, dovecote, dreamboat, eighth note, emote, endnote, fireboat, fistnote, flatboat, foldboat, footnote, frock coat, gemot, grace note, greatcoat, gunboat, half note, headnote, Hohhot, houseboat, housecoat, iceboat, johnboat, keelboat, keynote, lab coat, lifeboat, longboat, mash note, one-note, peacoat, pigboat, promote, Q-boat, raincoat, Rajkot, redcoat, remote, rowboat, sack coat, sailboat, sauceboat, scapegoat, seed coat, shape note, sheepcote, showboat, sore throat, speedboat, steamboat, stoneboat, straw vote, strep throat, Sukkoth, surcoat, surfboat, swan boat, tailcoat, topcoat, towboat, trench coat, tugboat, turncoat, U-boat, unquote, wainscot, whaleboat, whitethroat, whole note, woodnote, workboat