PROMOTE Synonyms: 180 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'promote' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of promote are advance , forward , and further . While all these words mean "to help (someone or something) to move ahead," promote suggests an encouraging or fostering and may denote an increase in status or rank. // a campaign to promote better health

Q: When might 'advance' be a better fit than 'promote'?

Although the words advance and promote have much in common, advance stresses effective assisting in hastening a process or bringing about a desired end. // advance the cause of peace

Q: When is it sensible to use 'forward' instead of 'promote'?

While the synonyms forward and promote are close in meaning, forward implies an impetus forcing something ahead. // a wage increase would forward productivity

Q: When would 'further' be a good substitute for 'promote'?

The synonyms further and promote are sometimes interchangeable, but further suggests a removing of obstacles in the way of a desired advance. // used the marriage to further his career

promote

verb

prə-ˈmōt

Definition of promote

as in to sell

to provide publicity for promoting a new line of toys based on the popular movie

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to elevate

to move higher in rank or position the navy promoted her to captain for her record of outstanding performance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to encourage

to help the growth or development of a campaign promoting good dental hygiene

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to grow

to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care spends all her time now promoting her new business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb promote contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of promote are advance, forward, and further. While all these words mean "to help (someone or something) to move ahead," promote suggests an encouraging or fostering and may denote an increase in status or rank.

a campaign to promote better health

When might advance be a better fit than promote?

Although the words advance and promote have much in common, advance stresses effective assisting in hastening a process or bringing about a desired end.

advance the cause of peace

When is it sensible to use forward instead of promote?

While the synonyms forward and promote are close in meaning, forward implies an impetus forcing something ahead.

a wage increase would forward productivity

When would further be a good substitute for promote?

The synonyms further and promote are sometimes interchangeable, but further suggests a removing of obstacles in the way of a desired advance.

used the marriage to further his career

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of promote Within days of being promoted for its Hollywood connection, the home attracted widespread attention online and went under contract. — Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026 The ad promoted what appeared to be a native HBO Max application for macOS. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026 The Panthers’ front office used that opportunity to sign safety Isaiah Simmons, promoting him off the practice squad. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2026 Amanda Goddard, previously chief commercial and legal officer for Argonon, has been promoted to president and global CEO with a worldwide strategic remit across Argonon and its seven production companies. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for promote

Recent Examples of Synonyms for promote

Verb

Starbucks valued its China business at more than $13 billion in a deal last November that sold its controlling stake to Boyu Capital, a private equity firm based in Beijing.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
The average new car in America sold for $50,089 in August, crossing over the $50,000 line for the first time since last December, according to Kelley Blue Book data.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of sell

Verb

Go Green tours allow passengers to learn the ways local communities and industries endeavor to conserve, sustain, and elevate their environments.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
Those themes may not dominate her lyrical approach, but their presence provides a headier energy that grounds the album and elevates it a few steps above merely a consistent Afropop LP.

— Kyle Denis, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of elevate

Verb

While the rest of the table is encouraging growth and forgiveness, Meredith is refusing to budge, completely stonewalling this apology and completely willing to die on this hill.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
The dairy farmer agreed with a comment from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins encouraging Americans to seek out other forms of protein, including turkey, amid a rise in the cost of beef.

— Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of encourage

Verb

Yet the diverging political and regulatory attention paid to the two industries makes increasingly little sense, given the bond market’s growing primacy in the financial system, and its ability to also cause mayhem.

— Robin Wigglesworth, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026
Known for its expanding flosses, the company has been on a growth streak of late, growing its business 183 percent in three years and expanding its presence in key retailers like Target and Walmart.

— Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of grow

Verb

Green opens up about the dark side of the attention economy, publicizing his OCD, his experience with aphantasia and the growing fight against book bans.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
The docuseries teased first-person interviews from investigative reporters, police investigators, tabloid photographers, and Good Samaritans who were instrumental in publicizing Gadd’s preferences and crimes.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of publicize

Verb

Fonda’s flawless silver pixie changed that, revealing his rare ability to transform gray hair from some something to be concealed into something to be expertly cultivated — a technique few colorists had dared to master.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Sep. 2026
Companies need to step up to finance the research and development throughout the project — ranging from early workshops to cultivating a team of artists to bring the film to life.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of cultivate

Verb

The company’s new v3 satellites, which are produced at a SpaceX facility in Redmond, Washington, are equipped with solar arrays that generate twice as much power as prior generations.

— Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026
Suppressing this same pathway produced the opposite result, limiting the ability to switch behavior, driving longer bouts of the repetitive behavior, as per the release.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of produce

Browse Nearby Words

promos

promote

promoted

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Style

“Promote.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/promote. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of promote

verb

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