demote
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of demote
Explanation
To demote someone is to move them into a less important job. Your coffee shop boss might demote you to wiping tables if your attempts to froth milk and pull espresso shots continuously fail. When your employer demotes you, she assigns you an easier task or even an entirely new, lower-ranked position. You may even earn less money. In the military, to demote is to move a soldier down in rank, usually as a punishment. The opposite of demote is promote, which came first. The prefix de- gives the word a sense of "down" or "down from."
Vocabulary lists containing demote
Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
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They Both Die at the End
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Vocabulary from the Twelfth Republican Debate, March 10, 2016
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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.
Kelly filed a lawsuit in January that accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of violating his First Amendment rights by moving to formally censure him and demote him over the video.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
According to Fidell, the secretary of defense has the authority to demote only flag officers—that is, generals and admirals.
From Slate • Jan. 13, 2026
Newby also could promote or demote judges on lower courts, deciding who served as their chiefs and held prestigious committee posts.
From Salon • Oct. 31, 2025
Max Verstappen says it "was not a mistake" that he liked a comment on social media describing Red Bull's decision to demote Liam Lawson as "a panic move" and "close to bullying".
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2025
“Kevin, I think we’d better demote me. In this time...”
From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
