demo
noun
demo
1 American
[dem-oh]
/ ˈdɛm oʊ /
noun
-
demos
plural
-
a recording of a new song or of one performed by an unknown singer or singing group, distributed to disc jockeys, recording companies, etc., to demonstrate the merits of the song or performer.
-
He does flooring and demo for a living.
verb (used with object)
demoed,
demoing
-
to try out or exhibit the use of (a product, process, or the like).
You can demo the game without downloading or buying it.
-
to record (a song) to demonstrate the merits of the song or performer.
Demo
2
American
[dem-oh]
/ ˈdɛm oʊ /
noun
Informal.
-
Demos
plural
demo-
3
American
demo
1
British
/ ˈdɛməʊ /
noun
-
short for demonstration
-
-
a demonstration record or tape, used for audition purposes
-
a demonstration of a prototype system
-
-
short for demonstrator
demo-
2
British
combining form
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of demo1
1935–40; by shortening; see -o
Origin of Demo2
An Americanism dating back to 1785–95
Origin of demo-3
< Greek dēmo-, combining form of dêmos
Explanation
A demo is what you give to show how something works. You might give a demo of your fancy new espresso machine to your weekend guests, so they'll know how to use it. Demo is short for demonstrate or demonstration. It can be a verb, as when a tech company demos its new tablet or laptop. It's also a noun: "The demo of that software was pretty interesting." In the music industry, a demo is a practice version of a song, meant to show a record label or music venue what a performer's music sounds like. This meaning's been around since the 1960s, while earlier it meant "a political demonstration."
Vocabulary lists containing demo
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.
See Examples For:
Cook’s personality was on full display when Dailey set up a technical demo for a senior government official involving the Vcommunicator, a late-2000s-era iPod Touch with specialized real-time translation software.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026
Considering I physically jumped out of my seat at one point playing the demo when avoiding the Alien, it's safe to say Creative Assembly will once again be ratcheting up the tension with the sequel.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
Like even like the demo tracks, like random tracks, there are specific things that make you feel like it’s a 127 song.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
And in a demo it definitely felt sleek and light.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
“Go into demo mode on that Elucidator, sugar,” Hodge told Katherine.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
It received a Best Paper Honorable Mention recognition, while a demo of the research team's broader robotic feeding system received a Best Demo Award.
From Science Daily ● May 9, 2024
A nationwide campaign, known as the Flower Demo, was launched by activists to show solidarity with sexual assault survivors.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2023
Demo sessions began at Lanois’ makeshift studio in a converted movie theater in Oxnard, not far from Dylan’s home on Malibu’s Point Dume.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 26, 2023
Accessories for customized bikes have even been difficult to secure, said Demo Diakoumakos, manager at the Harley-Davidson dealer at Chicago's Wrigleyville location.
From Reuters ● Jul. 25, 2022
Demo would ask more, except that he found himself suddenly alone.
From The Tarn of Eternity by Frank Tymon
WSJ’s Telis Demos explains what the AI boom’s move into the bond market means for investors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Demos, presentations and meetings will take place in a massive convention center as well as ballrooms and suites throughout the city.
From Barron's ● Jan. 3, 2026
The Flower Demos have become a symbol of defiance against silence.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2023
Demos recorded at that time got the attention of Steve Allen, who put her on his prime-time television variety show.
From New York Times ● Mar. 15, 2023
Virginia Demos, who teaches psychology at Harvard, recalls having long conversations with Tomkins during the 1988 Democratic National Convention.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
It has also strengthened global collaborations with retail partners to expand its reach and introduced interactive in-store demos while opening new Lego branded stores.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
With its young band cutting demos on a four-track cassette recorder, “Nimrods” could have been set in 2026, 1996 or 1976 — phones and social media are practically nonexistent in the plot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
That leaves investors with a clearer path than the headlines suggest: own the platform for versality and flexibility, screen the suppliers for revenue, avoid paying up for the humanoid demos.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
While some games felt "like tech demos" according to Corey, others felt more substantial.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
This being a direct rather than a representative democracy, membership of the demos, or sovereign body, was by right rather than by election, and every decision was taken on a one-man, one-vote basis.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Grohl demoed more than 50 songs - typically in the middle of the night, many of them instrumental, touching on influences as diverse as Massive Attack, Pink Floyd and Bad Brains.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
When Musk returned to the stage a year later, he demoed a prototype called Bumblebee, with visible wires and actuators.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 3, 2026
GoDaddy demoed the AI app builder, agentic workflows for core small and midsize customers, and Airo for WordPress professionals.
From Barron's ● Dec. 6, 2025
The game was demoed to press with a wedding scene at E3 1999, and during the demo two female Sims kissed.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2025
Wright demoed the songs from the “Dream Weaver” LP on an array of then-novel electronic instruments, which he’d gotten interested in shortly before leaving Spooky Tooth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2023
At the Times Food Stage, Cassandra Peterson, known for her work as Elvira, will be demoing from her book “Elvira’s Cookbook From Hell.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026
In a third, Jonathan Shobrook, a fellow, was demoing his product, Adrenaline, a tool that lets you ask natural-language questions of your code base.
From New York Times ● May 31, 2023
They took their food processors on the road, demoing the quick work they could made of the labor-intensive, classical French techniques in style at the time.
From Salon ● Dec. 5, 2021
Kaname Hayashi will be demoing Lovot, a chick-like bot with large expressive eyes, flapping arms, wheels, and a wardrobe of clothes to cover its soft shell.
From BBC ● Jan. 4, 2019
Instead of selling foundation door to door or hosting awkward Tupperware parties in the suburbs, though, MLM reps are now demoing Younique foundation on Facebook Live and proffering leggings and tunic giveaways on Instagram.
From The Verge ● Sep. 13, 2017
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.
