Demote

De`mote´

v. t.

To reduce to a lower grade or rank, as in the military, one's employment, or in school; to assign to a lower position.

[imp. & p. p. Demoted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Demoting .]

Verb

demote - assign to a lower position; reduce in rank; "She was demoted because she always speaks up"; "He was broken down to Sargeant"

Synonyms: kick downstairs, relegate, bump, break

Antonyms:

elevate, kick upstairs, promote, upgrade, advance, raise - give a promotion to or assign to a higher position; "John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired"; "Women tend not to advance in the major law firms"; "I got promoted after many years of hard work"

abase, boot, bounce, break, bump, bust, can, cashier, debase, defrock, degrade, demean, dement, deplume, depose, deprive, disbar, discharge, disemploy, disgrade, dismiss, displace, displume, downgrade, drum out, expel, fire, furlough, give the ax, give the gate, humble, kick, kick upstairs, lay off, let go, let out, lower, make redundant, pension off, read out of, reduce, release, remove, replace, retire, sack, separate forcibly, strip, strip of rank, superannuate, surplus, suspend, turn off, turn out, unfrock