demote

verb

de·​mote di-ˈmōt How to pronounce demote (audio)
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 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.
He was demoted to an affiliate deal with the South Bay Lakers, LA's NBAGL squad in El Segundo, at the start of the 2023-24 season. Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025 The King has always been reluctant to cut off his brother completely, and even their mother, Queen Elizabeth II, only went as far as to demote him as a working royal without taking away his title or his comforts. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 17 Oct. 2025 Of note, the network demoted (and then extended) Doris Burke, while Tim Legler got called up to the finals team with Breen and Richard Jefferson. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 Also, two sergeants and a trooper were fired, demoted or resigned. Paul Egan, Freep.com, 17 Oct. 2025 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 28 Oct. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on demote

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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