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.

She claimed this included swapping her successful client account with a failing one, demoting her on a big internal project, and trying to downgrade her performance, the tribunal heard.

From BBC

Teams could also be demoted out of the top flight if they fail to perform on the pitch or engage fans, but only "if a stronger, viable candidate exists".

From BBC

He was installed as chief executive officer only in October 2024, but just over a year later, after a clash with Newey, was demoted to a different role.

From BBC

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

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