demonstration
B2Neutral to formal; widely used in news, academic, and political contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A public exhibition or display showing how something works or proving something; a public march or meeting expressing strong opposition to something.
An act, process, or instance of showing the existence, truth, or practicality of something through evidence, argument, or illustration.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Has a dual core meaning: 1) A practical exhibition (positive/neutral). 2) A public protest (often political). Context is crucial for disambiguation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In UK English, 'demo' (informal) is very common for both meanings. In US English, 'demo' is more often for product demonstrations/prototypes; 'protest' or 'rally' is more specific for political actions.
Connotations
Political sense is dominant in both varieties, but the word alone does not inherently imply violence. Neutral term.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties, especially in media reporting on public events.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
give a demonstration of [noun/gerund]demonstration against/for/in support of [noun]demonstration that [clause]by way of demonstrationVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “proof positive (related conceptually)”
- “put on a show (informal equivalent for product demo)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A product demonstration for potential clients.
Academic
A mathematical demonstration of the theorem's validity.
Everyday
The chef gave a quick demonstration of how to chop onions safely.
Technical
A proof-of-concept demonstration for the new software.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The union will demonstrate outside Parliament tomorrow.
- Can you demonstrate how the safety lock works?
American English
- Activists plan to demonstrate at the state capitol.
- The sales rep will demonstrate the new features.
adverb
British English
- He gestured demonstratively towards the chart.
- She demonstratively tore up the contract.
American English
- He pointed demonstratively at the error.
- They left the meeting demonstratively early.
adjective
British English
- The demonstrative evidence was key to the case.
- He's not very demonstrative with his feelings.
American English
- The lawyer provided demonstrative aids for the jury.
- She gave a demonstrative wave from the train.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher gave a demonstration of the experiment.
- There was a big demonstration in the city centre.
- The police closed the road due to a political demonstration.
- I watched a useful cooking demonstration online.
- The software demonstration convinced the board to approve the purchase.
- The protests began as a peaceful demonstration but later turned violent.
- His recovery served as a powerful demonstration of the treatment's efficacy.
- The paper lacks a rigorous mathematical demonstration of its central hypothesis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DEMONSTRATION = DEMOnstrate your aCTION. It's either showing how an action is done, or taking action (protesting).
Conceptual Metaphor
UNDERSTANDING IS SEEING (a demonstration makes something clear/visible); ARGUMENT IS WAR (a protest demonstration is a confrontation).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'демонстрация' in computing (a 'demo version'). Use 'пробная версия' or 'демоверсия'.
- In political sense, Russian 'демонстрация' is a direct cognate, but can sound slightly more Soviet-era formal. 'Марш' or 'акция протеста' are alternatives.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'demonstration' to mean a simple 'example' (e.g., 'He is a demonstration of hard work' – better: 'He is an example of...').
- Misspelling as 'demonstation'.
- Confusing verb 'demonstrate' (to show/protest) with noun 'demonstration'.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'demonstration' used in its 'public protest' sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It has two main meanings: 1) A practical showing of how something works. 2) A public protest. Context tells you which.
'Demonstration' is a broad term for a public display of opinion, often involving marching. 'Protest' emphasizes objection. 'Rally' emphasizes gathering for speeches and solidarity, often in one place.
Generally no. 'Demo' is informal. Use the full word 'demonstration' or a more precise term like 'protest march' or 'product presentation' in formal contexts.
The verb is 'demonstrate'. It can mean 'to show clearly' (He demonstrated the process) or 'to take part in a public protest' (They demonstrated against the law).
Collections
Part of a collection
Debate Vocabulary
B2 · 48 words · Language for constructing arguments and discussions.
Academic Vocabulary
C1 · 36 words · Formal academic language used in scholarly writing.
Rhetoric and Argumentation
C2 · 49 words · Advanced tools of persuasion and argumentation.
Explore