as in to reduce
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the court-martial's decision was to demote the officer responsible for the failed mission
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Recent Examples of demote
Back in 2018, Molitor said demoting Sanó was one of the most difficult decisions of his career.
—
Dan Hayes, New York Times, 3 June 2026
As this happened, thousands of Black teachers and principals were dismissed or demoted.
—David Blazar, The Conversation, 1 June 2026
First came Copernicus, who demoted the Earth from the center of the universe.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 June 2026
David Peterson, demoted to the bullpen this week, gave up one hit in four innings for his first regular-season save in the majors.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for demote
Dan Hayes, New York Times, 3 June 2026
As this happened, thousands of Black teachers and principals were dismissed or demoted.
—David Blazar, The Conversation, 1 June 2026
First came Copernicus, who demoted the Earth from the center of the universe.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 June 2026
David Peterson, demoted to the bullpen this week, gave up one hit in four innings for his first regular-season save in the majors.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for demote
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demote
Verb
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Before long, the living room is reduced to a bare stage, upon which only a couple of pulleys and switches are visible.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
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Each ergonomic Nuage seat fully reclines to improve circulation and reduce back pressure.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
8 June 2026
Verb
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The charges of using a computer to commit a crime and interfering with a telecommunications device were dismissed, according to prosecutors.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
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In January 2021, Erickson was charged with one misdemeanor count of reckless driving, but the charge was later dismissed, his lawyer Mark Werksman told The New York Times.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demote.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demote. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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