promote

verb

pro·​mote prə-ˈmōt How to pronounce promote (audio)
promoted; promoting
Synonyms of promote

transitive verb

1
a
: to advance in station, rank, or honor : raise
b
: to change (a pawn) into a piece in chess by moving to the eighth rank
c
: to advance (a student) from one grade to the next higher grade
2
a
: to contribute to the growth or prosperity of : further
promote international understanding
b
: to help bring (something, such as an enterprise) into being : launch
c
: to present (merchandise) for buyer acceptance through advertising, publicity, or discounting
3
slang : to get possession of by doubtful means or by ingenuity
promotability
prə-ˌmō-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce promote (audio)
noun
promotable
prə-ˈmō-tə-bəl How to pronounce promote (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of promote

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for promote

advance, promote, forward, further mean to help (someone or something) to move ahead.

advance stresses effective assisting in hastening a process or bringing about a desired end.

advance the cause of peace

promote suggests an encouraging or fostering and may denote an increase in status or rank.

a campaign to promote better health

forward implies an impetus forcing something ahead.

a wage increase would forward productivity

further suggests a removing of obstacles in the way of a desired advance.

used the marriage to further his career

Examples of promote in a Sentence

He was promoted to senior editor. The army major was promoted to lieutenant colonel. The team have been promoted to the First Division. Mediators were present to promote dialogue. Good soil promotes plant growth. The school distributed pamphlets promoting good dental hygiene. The marketing department is busy promoting the new line of men's clothes for fall. The island is being promoted as a destination for romantic getaways.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While promoting the launch of the pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks, Stewart looked especially fall-ready in a funnel-neck sweater in an autumnal shade. — Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 By 2012, Will Beedle — who joined the company in 2006 as menswear director — was promoted to chief creative director, before stepping down in 2021. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026 Inclusion of CEOs in the G20 finance ministers meeting marks a first, according to a senior Treasury official, who said the administration is using its G20 presidency to promote engagement with the private sector. — Kevin Breuninger,jeff Cox, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 Even the Barbie doll, while often derided for promoting an unhealthy body image for developing children, offered girls a glimpse of a different future than as a wife and mother, Kimmel argues. — Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for promote

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin promotus, past participle of promovēre, literally, to move forward, from pro- forward + movēre to move

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of promote was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing promote

Rhymes for promote

See All Rhymes for promote

Browse Nearby Words

promotable
promote
promotee
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Promote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/promote. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

promote

verb
pro·​mote prə-ˈmōt How to pronounce promote (audio)
promoted; promoting
1
: to move up in position or rank
was promoted to the next grade
2
: to help (something) grow or develop
good soil promotes plant growth
3
: to help increase the sales of
a sports star promoting a new product

Medical Definition

promote

transitive verb
pro·​mote prə-ˈmōt How to pronounce promote (audio)
promoted; promoting
: to cause or contribute to the growth, development, or occurrence of
sugary drinks promote cavities
a diet that promotes good health
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All