demonstrator

American  

[dem-uhn-strey-ter] / ˈdɛm ənˌstreɪ tər /

noun

demonstrators plural

1. a person or thing that demonstrates.

2. Also a person who takes part in a public demonstration, as by marching or picketing.

3. a person who explains orteaches by practical demonstrations.

4. a person who exhibits the use and application of (a product, service, etc.) to a prospective customer.

5. the product, device, machine, etc., actually used in demonstrations to purchasers or prospective customers.

   They sold the demonstrator at half price.

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demonstrator British  

/ ˈdɛmənˌstreɪtə /

noun

1. a person who demonstrates equipment, machines, products, etc

2. a person who takes part in a public demonstration

3. a piece of merchandise, such as a car that one test-drives, used to display merits or performance to prospective buyers

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• counterdemonstrator
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• demonstrators
  plural

Etymology

Origin of demonstrator

1605–15; < Latin dēmonstrātor, equivalent to dēmonstrā ( re ) ( see demonstrate) + -tor -tor

Explanation

If you participate in a political protest, you are a demonstrator. Demonstrate means to show, and by dint of your presence, you are showing that you agree with the protest message. Demonstrator can also mean someone who demonstrates how something works. Electrolux vacuums were sold by door-to-door salespeople who were also demonstrators––they put horrible messes down on the rug to demonstrate their vacuum's power.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

demonstrator demonstrators

In World War II, "Japan committed acts of aggression, and in turn suffered enormous damage from the atomic bombs," demonstrator Yura Suzuike told AFP.

From Barron's ● May 3, 2026

Another demonstrator told the BBC she had been arrested 10 times before and expected the same outcome.

From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026

The jury was shown a video of a demonstrator blocking the minister's car with Wai sitting in the front passenger seat.

From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2026

"We want to defend our country," said demonstrator Siyanda Moloi, a 34-year-old construction worker.

From Barron's ● Mar. 21, 2026

I lived in a hostel and posed as an agricultural demonstrator who had come at the behest of the government to evaluate the land.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

One of the demonstrators accused her online of overstating the company’s work with the Pentagon.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

"Free the boys," the demonstrators chanted on Saturday evening referring to 19 protesters still detained at a Tirana police station.

From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026

But demonstrators argue the changes would undermine oversight of natural resources and other key economic areas.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026

One former prosecutor said he was surprised the office continues to dedicate significant time and resources to charging demonstrators.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

Durham police arrest anti-segregation demonstrators at Howard Johnson’s, May 19, 1963.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• marcher
• radical
• rioter
• striker