Promotion means moving up to a higher position or level. When a hardworking employee receives a promotion at work, they advance to a job with more responsibility and usually better pay. A student might get promoted to the next grade, moving from fourth grade to fifth. In the military, soldiers receive promotions to higher ranks as they gain experience and prove their abilities.

The word also describes the act of trying to get people interested in something. When a company promotes a new product, it advertises and creates excitement about it. Your school might promote reading by organizing book fairs and author visits. Athletes promote their upcoming games through interviews and social media. A band promotes its new album by performing on television, radio, and online.

Notice how both meanings share the idea of moving something forward: in the first case, it's a person moving up in rank or grade, and in the second, it's an idea or product moving forward into the public's attention. When you work hard and show dedication, you increase your chances of earning a promotion. When you believe in something worth sharing, you naturally want to promote it to others.