promote

verb

pro·mote | \prə-ˈmōt

promoted; promoting

Definition of promote

transitive verb

1a : to advance in station, rank, or honor : raise

b : to change (a pawn) into a piece in chess by moving to the eighth rank

c : to advance (a student) from one grade to the next higher grade

2a : to contribute to the growth or prosperity of : further promote international understanding

b : to help bring (something, such as an enterprise) into being : launch

c : to present (merchandise) for buyer acceptance through advertising, publicity, or discounting

3 slang : to get possession of by doubtful means or by ingenuity

Other Words from promote Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about promote

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Other Words from promote

promotability \prə-ˌmō-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

promotable \prə-ˈmō-tə-bəl

\ adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for promote

advance, promote, forward, further mean to help (someone or something) to move ahead. advance stresses effective assisting in hastening a process or bringing about a desired end. advance the cause of peace promote suggests an encouraging or fostering and may denote an increase in status or rank. a campaign to promote better health forward implies an impetus forcing something ahead. a wage increase would forward productivity further suggests a removing of obstacles in the way of a desired advance. used the marriage to further his career

Examples of promote in a Sentence

He was promoted to senior editor. The army major was promoted to lieutenant colonel. The team have been promoted to the First Division. Mediators were present to promote dialogue. Good soil promotes plant growth. The school distributed pamphlets promoting good dental hygiene. The marketing department is busy promoting the new line of men's clothes for fall. The island is being promoted as a destination for romantic getaways.

Recent Examples on the Web

These administrative proceedings all occur within the executive branch, which helps promote uniformity. — Rod Rosenstein, WSJ, "Impose Boundaries on Immigration Law," 6 Dec. 2018 Yelp has used the newfound interest in political bias to promote its antitrust complaints. — Adi Robertson, The Verge, "The long, tortured quest to make Google unbiased," 6 Dec. 2018 Fortunately for us, feeding bacteria with lots of fiber seems to promote good gut health. — SELF, "Why This Registered Dietitian Tells (Some of) Her Patients to Avoid Kale Salads," 30 Nov. 2018 The singer appears in a video on Puma's page to promote her newest SG x Puma collaboration. — Avery Matera, Teen Vogue, "Selena Gomez Says She’s “Strong” in a New Video," 27 Nov. 2018 Soon thereafter, German cockroaches were discovered that were fully resistant to DDT, which for a time was promoted by the federal government for use on farms and in households. — Rob Dunn, Discover Magazine, "Our Attempts to Eradicate Insects are Just Making them Resistant to Pesticides," 16 Nov. 2018 Having worked closely with the UN in the past, the Duchess was keen to learn of their latest women’s project, Markets for Change, which works to promote female empowerment in marketplaces throughout the South Pacific. — Lucy Wood, Marie Claire, "Meghan Markle's Latest Royal Appearance in Fiji Was Cut Short Due to a Security Risk," 24 Oct. 2018 The Trump administration is doing away with a series of affirmative-action policy documents put in place under former President Barack Obama that encourage colleges and universities to use race in admissions processes to promote campus diversity. — Andrew O'reilly, Fox News, "Trump administration is breaking from Obama-era affirmative action policies," 2 Oct. 2018 Islamic Museum of Australia Tucked into the industrial backstreets of one of Melbourne’s northern suburbs, the Islamic Museum of Australia aims to promote cultural diversity. — Carrie Hutchinson, Condé Nast Traveler, "10 Best Museums in Melbourne," 26 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'promote.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.