demote

verb

de·​mote di-ˈmōt How to pronounce demote (audio)
ˌdē-
demoted; demoting

transitive verb

1
: to reduce to a lower grade or rank
demote a student
was demoted from major to captain
2
: to relegate to a less important position
a pitcher demoted to the bullpen
demotion noun

Examples of demote in a Sentence

Teachers can choose to demote a student to a lower grade. The army major was demoted to captain.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Politicized Prosecutions: Martin has reshaped the office to reflect Trump’s priorities, firing or demoting prosecutors who worked on Jan. 6 cases and targeting Trump’s critics with legal threats. Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2025 Jose Miranda summons his inner ‘Hamilton’ After getting demoted to the minors, Lin-Manuel Miranda's cousin became an early leader in our annual Injury of the Year competition. Dan Hayes, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025 Powell has said the law is clear he cannot be fired or demoted, but does that matter? Jim Cramer, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2025 Powell has also noted that, under the law, presidents may not fire or demote the Fed chair. Alain Sherter, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for demote

Word History

Etymology

de- + -mote (as in promote)

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of demote was in 1872

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Demote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demote. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

demote

verb
de·​mote di-ˈmōt How to pronounce demote (audio)
ˈdē-
demoted; demoting
: to reduce to a lower grade or rank
demotion noun

More from Merriam-Webster on demote

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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