What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
propagate
Example
The gardener propagated the roses by taking cuttings from the mother plant. [propagated: past tense]
Example
The company aims to propagate its brand by expanding into new markets. [propagate: verb]
promote
Example
The manager decided to promote John to a higher position in the company. [promote: verb]
Example
The company launched a new ad campaign to promote their latest product. [promote: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Promote is more commonly used than propagate in everyday language. Promote is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while propagate is less common and refers to specific processes or actions.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between propagate and promote?
Both propagate and promote can be used in formal and informal contexts, but propagate may be more technical or specialized in certain fields, such as agriculture or biology.