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.
Pauley began the season with the Marlins but struggled badly offensively and was demoted earlier this month, before returning to the big league team after Jimenez was sidelined. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026 Who stays in the rotation and who gets demoted to the bullpen? Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 28 May 2026 People management, on its own, is being quietly demoted. Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Biden opted to make South Carolina the Democrats’ first-in-the-nation primary state, advancing Nevada and Michigan in the schedule while dropping Iowa and demoting New Hampshire. Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 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 2 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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