Synonyms of demote

demote

verb

di-ˈmōt 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reduce
• dismiss
• degrade
• sack
• downgrade
• fire
• can
• bust
• humiliate
• demean
• downsize
• break
• disrate
• debase
• lay off
• abase
• lower
• humble
• cashier

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• promote
• raise
• advance
• elevate
• hire

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of demote

Brendan Beck was demoted to Triple-A on Monday to make room for Topa, who recently signed a minor league contract with the Yankees. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026

Under Kentucky law, employers generally cannot retaliate against you for a workers’ comp claim, which protects you from being fired or demoted simply for seeking help. — Jason Phillips, Ascend Agency, 24 Aug. 2026

But some astronomers were in favor of demoting Pluto well before 2006, including astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson. — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026

According to the lawsuit, Lee was demoted during and after her pregnancy. — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026