demo
gb/dˈɛmoʊ/ us/dˈɛmoʊ/
B1
English
~ 3600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
A short product or idea presentation
A short show of a product or idea to explain or sell it.
Usage pattern:
a demo of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'demo' with 'demonstration'—'demo' is shorter and more common in casual speech.
Synonyms
presentation (More general; can be longer and more formal than a demo.)
|
showcase (Emphasizes displaying the best features for promotion.)
Antonyms
full release (Refers to the complete, final version instead of a short demonstration.)
Collocations
product demo
|live demo
|demo version
|software demo
|demo day
Themes
business
|technology
|marketing
|communication
Examples
- The company gave a demo of their new app at the conference.
- We watched a live demo of the cooking process.
- The demo impressed potential investors.
- She prepared a demo to pitch her design concept.
- You can sign up for a free online demo.
Learner examples
- We saw a demo of the new phone.
- The teacher gave a demo of the tool.
- They watched a demo before buying the game.
- I liked the demo of the camera.
- He showed a demo to his friends.
Noun
informal
B1
entity
2
A sample music recording
An early, simple recording of a song to show what it will sound like.
Usage pattern:
record a demo
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'demo' here means a public performance, but it refers to an audio recording.
Synonyms
sample track (Usually shorter and may be part of promotional material rather than a work-in-progress.)
Antonyms
final mix (The polished, completed version of the song.)
Collocations
record a demo
|demo tape
|demo track
|send a demo
Themes
music
|entertainment
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Examples
- The band sent their demo to several record labels.
- She recorded a demo in her bedroom studio.
- This is just a demo, not the final version.
- The producer liked the demo and offered them a contract.
- He uploaded his demo to the music platform.
Learner examples
- I made a demo of my song.
- She sent her demo to a label.
- We heard the band's demo.
- He is working on his new demo.
- The demo is not finished yet.
Verb
informal
B1
action
3
To briefly demonstrate something
To quickly show how something works or is done.
Usage pattern:
to demo [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'demo' in formal writing where 'demonstrate' is preferred.
Synonyms
demonstrate (More formal; can refer to longer or more thorough explanations.)
Antonyms
conceal (To hide how something works instead of showing it.)
Collocations
demo the software
|demo the product
|demo the feature
Themes
daily life
|business
|communication
|work
Examples
- She will demo the new app at tomorrow's meeting.
- Can you demo this tool for the team?
- They demoed the latest feature during the webinar.
- I’ll demo how to use the coffee machine.
- The chef demoed the recipe live on TV.
Learner examples
- I will demo the phone for you.
- He demoed the new game.
- She will demo the website.
- They are going to demo the car.
- We can demo this tool now.
Grammar
Dictionary form
demo
IPA
GB/dˈɛmoʊ/
US/dˈɛmoʊ/
Syllables & stress
demo (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (demo)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: demo
- Plural: demos
Word family
Forms
demos
noun
Core family
Related words
demonstrative
adjective
Expressions
demo version
1/dˈɛmoʊ vˈɚʒən/
fixed phrase
A trial version of a product
A free or limited version of something you can try before buying the full one.
Examples
- You can download the demo version before purchasing the game.
- The software's demo version has limited features.
live demo
1/lˈaɪv dˈɛmoʊ/
fixed phrase
A real-time demonstration for an audience
A show of how something works done directly in front of people or online at that moment.
Examples
- The chef did a live demo at the food festival.
- We watched a live demo of the new technology on stage.
product demo
1/pɹˈɑdʌkt dˈɛmoʊ/
fixed phrase
A demonstration of a product's features
A show that explains what a product can do and how it works.
Examples
- The sales team gave a product demo to potential clients.
- We attended a product demo for the new electric car.