demonstrate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb give an exhibition of to an interested audience
    exhibit; demo; present; show.
    • She shows her dogs frequently
    • We will demo the new software in Washington
  2. verb establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment
    shew; show; establish; prove.
    • The experiment demonstrated the instability of the compound
    • The mathematician showed the validity of the conjecture
  3. verb provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes
    attest; certify; evidence; manifest.
    • His high fever attested to his illness
    • The buildings in Rome manifest a high level of architectural sophistication
    • This decision demonstrates his sense of fairness
  4. verb march in protest; take part in a demonstration
    march.
    • Thousands demonstrated against globalization during the meeting of the most powerful economic nations in Seattle

WordNet

Dem"on*strate transitive verb
Etymology
L. demonstratus, p. p. of demonstrare to demonstrate; de- + monstrare to show. See Monster.
Definitions
  1. To point out; to show; to exhibit; to make evident. Shak.
  2. To show, or make evident, by reasoning or proof; to prove by deduction; to establish so as to exclude the possibility of doubt or denial.
    We can not demonstrate these things so as to show that the contrary often involves a contradiction. Tillotson.
  3. (Anat.) To exhibit and explain (a dissection or other anatomical preparation).

Webster 1913