demote

verb

de·​mote di-ˈmōt 

ˌdē-

demoted; demoting

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

di-ˈmō-shən 

ˌdē-

noun

Synonyms of demote

• reduce
• dismiss

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

Months after demoting six detectives and sergeants in a controversial investigation, the Prosper Police Department is reversing half of the punishments. — Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026

Last summer, Lake tried to demote Abramowitz to a job at a remote site in North Carolina, which broadcasts to Cuba. — Marc Fisher, New Yorker, 30 July 2026

Call up Spencer Jones, demote Jasson Domínguez Jasson Domínguez hasn’t exactly locked down his spot on the roster since getting called back up. — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 20 July 2026

Scheublin wasn’t demoted to a borough command post until January 2026, having at that point been the subject of a criminal investigation for a year. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 10 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

de- + -mote (as in promote)

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for demote

• afloat
• azote
• banknote
• bareboat
• benzoate
• connote
• cutthroat
• denote
• devote
• endnote
• footnote
• greatcoat

Kids Definition

demote

verb

de·​mote di-ˈmōt 

ˈdē-

demoted; demoting

: to reduce to a lower grade or rank

demotion

di-ˈmō-shən 

ˈdē-

noun