demonstrate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to make evident or establish by arguments or reasoning; prove.
to demonstrate a philosophical principle.
- Synonyms:
- corroborate, verify, confirm, show
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to describe, explain, or illustrate by examples, specimens, experiments, or the like.
to demonstrate the force of gravity by dropping an object.
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to manifest or exhibit; show.
He demonstrated his courage by his actions in battle.
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to display openly or publicly, as feelings.
to demonstrate one's anger by slamming a door.
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to exhibit the operation or use of (a device, process, product, or the like), usually to a purchaser or prospect.
to demonstrate an automobile.
verb (used without object)
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to make, give, or take part in, a demonstration.
The pickets required a license to demonstrate.
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Military. to attack or make a show of force to deceive an enemy.
verb
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(tr) to show, manifest, or prove, esp by reasoning, evidence, etc
it is easy to demonstrate the truth of this proposition
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(tr) to evince; reveal the existence of
the scheme later demonstrated a fatal flaw
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(tr) to explain or illustrate by experiment, example, etc
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(tr) to display, operate, and explain the workings of (a machine, product, etc)
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(intr) to manifest support, protest, etc, by public parades or rallies
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(intr) to be employed as a demonstrator of machinery, etc
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(intr) military to make a show of force, esp in order to deceive one's enemy
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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redemonstrateverb
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predemonstrateverb (used with object)
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subdemonstrateverb (used with object)
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counterdemonstrateverb (used without object)
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undemonstratedadjective
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well-demonstratedadjective
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demonstratedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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demonstratesimple
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demonstratessimple
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have demonstratedperfect
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has demonstratedperfect
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am demonstratingprogressive
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are demonstratingprogressive
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is demonstratingprogressive
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have been demonstratingperfect progressive
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has been demonstratingperfect progressive
Past
-
demonstratedsimple
-
had demonstratedperfect
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was demonstratingprogressive
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were demonstratingprogressive
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had been demonstratingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of demonstrate
First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin dēmonstrātus, past participle of dēmonstrāre “to show, point out,” equivalent to dē- de- + monstrāre “to show,” verbal derivative of monstrum “sign, portent”; see origin at monster ( def. )
Explanation
When you demonstrate something, you show what it is or how it works. To demonstrate how your new juicer works, you should have lots of kale, carrots, and beets on hand — and some brave friends to try your concoction. Demonstrate comes from the Latin word demonstrare, meaning “to point out by argument or deduction.” To demonstrate a point you must make a valid argument and give examples of why you think it's true. Demonstrate can also refer to a public protest. You can demonstrate with your comrades by marching through the streets with homemade protest signs.
Vocabulary lists containing demonstrate
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 3
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 2
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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:
"But these situations demonstrate the most important thing: we must continue to do what we do for the benefit of people."
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Still, the researchers say the findings demonstrate how materials science could help address a practical barrier to skin cancer prevention.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
"He is searching for an option that would demonstrate change in the military leadership while remaining broadly similar to Syrsky: loyal, free of political ambitions and respected by the military," political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
The company said it’s confident the evidence will demonstrate that the states’ antitrust arguments are meritless.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
To demonstrate what a good, reliable, always-there sort of friend I was, I reluctantly agreed to track down Fang.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
This program demonstrates that the agency can accelerate patient access to life-saving innovations without lowering approval standards.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
“This arrest demonstrates that time does not erase accountability,” Wing Chau, U.S. marshal for the District of Rhode Island, said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
“Event Horizon” demonstrates a major theme in Neill’s most gruesome creature feature performances: the slow, onscreen transition from good to evil.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
The text also demonstrates "an interest in engaging Congress to broaden constituencies of support for the partnership", said Threlkeld.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
Urging the urban poor—or anyone—to live up to their highest ideals and values is a good thing, as it demonstrates confidence in the ability of all people to stretch, grow, and evolve.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
The researchers theoretically demonstrated that the two loop couplers could be used to adjust the bandwidth and shape of the passband.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026
The Houthis “have already demonstrated both the capability and the willingness to strike commercial shipping,” she said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
We demonstrated that a team built on good people — supportive people, people who hold values and principles that prioritize the common good over individual interests.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
“We have demonstrated how we will do that.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
She could scale a wall with ease, and had even demonstrated by climbing up to her own balcony with nothing but her bare hands.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
The photographic technologies utilized begin with daguerreotypes and include stereoscopic prints, a cyanotype, gelatin silver prints, large-format chromogenic works and images created with digital manipulation, neatly demonstrating the show’s long time span.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Whether or not you have years of experience is less important than demonstrating that you can hit the ground running.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
He feels the later start is demonstrating "understanding and flexibility", and has seen an "influx of emails" from parents welcoming it as a "really lovely idea".
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier urged protesters to stay peaceful, saying that "anyone demonstrating against a party they consider to be unconstitutional should not themselves act in a manner that is unconstitutional".
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
He was demonstrating in this first image that perspective drawing involves establishing a picture plane through which the image is viewed.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
