Meaning & use
demote
To reduce someone to a lower rank, grade, or position, often as a punishment.
See it in a sentence
The manager was demoted after the company discovered several serious errors in his reports.
The coach threatened to demote any player who missed practice without a good reason.
A note on using this word
Demote is the direct opposite of 'promote' and is commonly used in workplace, military, and sports contexts.
Words with a similar meaning
downgraderelegate
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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