as in to reduce
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the court-martial's decision was to demote the officer responsible for the failed mission
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Recent Examples of demote
The bout, which was originally scheduled for the WEC middleweight title, was demoted to a non-title fight after Filho missed weight.
—
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
The move demoted Huang to 17th on the richest-person list.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2025
Then she’s demoted to a kind of scullery maid, milking the cows and sweeping the floors.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
Loading your audio article OAKLAND — Oakland leaders say about 100 city workers will be laid off or demoted this week and next as the full consequences of the city’s devastating financial crisis take shape.
—Harriet Blair Rowan, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for demote 
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
The move demoted Huang to 17th on the richest-person list.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2025
Then she’s demoted to a kind of scullery maid, milking the cows and sweeping the floors.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
Loading your audio article OAKLAND — Oakland leaders say about 100 city workers will be laid off or demoted this week and next as the full consequences of the city’s devastating financial crisis take shape.
—Harriet Blair Rowan, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for demote
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Cite this Entry
“Demote.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demote. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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