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 lawsuit was eventually dismissed.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
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The ruling came after similar cases in Michigan and Georgia were dismissed by the courts and a special prosecutor dropped a federal case in late 2024 that charged Trump with conspiring to overturn the 2020 election.—
Jacques Billeaud,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demote.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demote. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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