1. to reduce in rank, status, or importance; to demote or lower in grade
Usage: transitive verb; formal or administrative context

1. plural of downstate; regions or areas outside of or away from a major city, especially the southern or rural portions of a state
Usage: chiefly U.S.; often used in reference to Illinois, New York, or other states with dominant urban centers

Examples

• The company downstates employees who fail to meet performance targets.
• After the scandal, the executive was downstated from vice president to manager.
• Many downstates residents commute to the city for work.
• The downstates of the state have different economic challenges than the capital region.
• The policy affects both upstate and downstates communities differently.
• She was downstated in rank following the restructuring.