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.

The Pentagon has since tried in vain to demote his military rank and a grand jury have declined to charge him with seditious conspiracy.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

Kelly filed a lawsuit in January that accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of violating his First Amendment rights by moving to formally censure him and demote him over the video.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

According to Fidell, the secretary of defense has the authority to demote only flag officers—that is, generals and admirals.

From Slate • Jan. 13, 2026

Newby also could promote or demote judges on lower courts, deciding who served as their chiefs and held prestigious committee posts.

From Salon • Oct. 31, 2025

Anxiety, self-doubt, and bickering replaced that night’s buoyant optimism as Bolles scrutinized each of them anew, trying to figure out who to keep in the boat and who to demote.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

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