demoted; demoting
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
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
But in the process, the department demoted theology, a field that some had targeted for enjoying professional status when nursing did not.
—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
Don’t look now, but the Red Sox’s rotation – featuring three rookie left-handers but not right-hander Brayan Bello, demoted with his $55 million contract to Triple A – is the hottest in the league.
—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
30 June 2026
Sanchez was never able to match that success though, and was eventually traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014, where he was ultimately demoted to the role of backup quarterback.
—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
29 June 2026
She was transferred against her wishes from ELAC to Pierce College in Woodland Hills in May 1989 and was demoted from journalism head to an instructor, according to Times reporting.
—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for demote
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Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
Don’t look now, but the Red Sox’s rotation – featuring three rookie left-handers but not right-hander Brayan Bello, demoted with his $55 million contract to Triple A – is the hottest in the league.
—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
30 June 2026
Sanchez was never able to match that success though, and was eventually traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014, where he was ultimately demoted to the role of backup quarterback.
—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
29 June 2026
She was transferred against her wishes from ELAC to Pierce College in Woodland Hills in May 1989 and was demoted from journalism head to an instructor, according to Times reporting.
—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for demote
Cite this Entry
“Demote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demote. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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