Meaning
To demote means to reduce someone to a lower rank, position, or status, usually as a result of poor performance, misconduct, or organizational changes. It is the opposite of promote.
Grammar and Usage
- Part of speech: Verb
- Verb forms: demote – demoted – demoting
- Transitive: It requires an object (someone or something).
Typical patterns:
- demote + somebody + to + lower position
- be demoted from … to …
Example: She was demoted from manager to assistant.
Common Phrases
- demote someone to a lower rank
- be demoted for misconduct
- demoted due to restructuring
- from … to … (used to show the change)
Collocations
- demote an employee
- demote a player
- demote an officer
- be demoted for poor performance
- be demoted to a lower division
Examples
- The company decided to demote him to junior staff after repeated mistakes.
- She was demoted from captain to lieutenant due to her actions.
- If you keep arriving late, you might get demoted.
- The football player was demoted to the reserve team after his injury.
- The officer was demoted for misconduct during the mission.
- He felt humiliated when he was demoted in front of his colleagues.
- The reorganization led to several managers being demoted.
Synonyms or Related
- degrade
- downgrade
- reduce
- relegate
- lower
