Synonyms

demote

American

[dih-moht] / dɪˈmoʊt /

verb (used with object)

demoted, demoting

to reduce to a lower grade, rank, class, or position (promote ).

They demoted the careless waiter to busboy.

demote British

/ dɪˈməʊt /

verb

(tr) to lower in rank or position; relegate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

demotion noun

Etymology

Origin of demote

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; de- + (pro)mote

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

You were once promoted—and soon after demoted.

From The Wall Street Journal

Valy once demanded corrupt officials be "punished and demoted as in other countries" rather than merely warned, and lobbied for a complete overhaul of the financial sector to address Laos' currency crisis.

From Barron's

The unnamed former officer said there were "real concerns" in the late 1990s and early 2000s that the "royal protection team became too close to their principals", and staff were "terrified" of being demoted.

From BBC

The Pentagon has since tried in vain to demote his military rank and a grand jury have declined to charge him with seditious conspiracy.

From BBC

He was later demoted and moved to FEMA, the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023