relegate

[ rel-i-geyt ]

verb (used with object)

, rel·e·gat·ed, rel·e·gat·ing.

1. to send or consign to an inferior position, place, or condition:

   He has been relegated to a post at the fringes of the diplomatic service.

2. to consign or commit (a matter, task, etc.), as to a person:

   He relegates the less pleasant tasks to his assistant.

   Synonyms: entrust, consign, assign

3. to assign or refer (something) to a particular class or kind.
4. to send into exile; banish.

relegate

/ ˈrɛlɪˌɡeɪt /

verb

1. to move to a position of less authority, importance, etc; demote
2. usually passive to demote (a football team, etc) to a lower division
3. to assign or refer (a matter) to another or others, as for action or decision
4. foll by to to banish or exile
5. to assign (something) to a particular group or category

Derived Forms

• ˌreleˈgation, noun
• ˈreleˌgatable, adjective

Other Words From

• rel·e·ga·ble [rel, -i-g, uh, -b, uh, l], adjective
• rel·e·ga·tion [rel-i-, gey, -sh, uh, n] noun
• un·rel·e·ga·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of relegate¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English from Latin relēgātus, past participle of relēgāre “to send away, dispatch”; re-, legate

Word History and Origins

Origin of relegate¹

C16: from Latin relēgāre to send away, from re- + lēgāre to send

Example Sentences

They’ve been relegated to work boot duty at this point, but that’s mostly because I didn’t take care of them as well as I should have.

From Outside Online

Shows’ handling of the pandemic ranges from being front-and-center to relegated to the background, but only a small number, like Fox’s “Last Man Standing,” seem to be trying to pass over it altogether.

From Digiday

Moss caught five passes for only 62 yards and one touchdown, with Brady relegated to finding Wes Welker on short passes for 103 yards.

From Washington Post

The Swans were relegated to the second tier in 2018, a demotion that cost millions in Premier League TV revenue and sponsorships.

From Washington Post

It has become, like so many such sacrifice zones, an island of despair and invisibility, relegated to the economic, political and cultural periphery by agencies and leaders who are supposed to support them, and by the media when they get bored.

From Washington Post

The number of women who opt for this type of experience is too large to relegate to the fringe.

From The Daily Beast

But when you try to oust the queen, you better be successful, lest she decides to relegate you to oblivion.

From The Daily Beast

In the end, these entanglements could relegate the everyday people of Ivory Coast to the bottom of his priorities.

From The Daily Beast

But we relegate and outsource our programming capabilities at our own peril.

From The Daily Beast

He had returned sooner than was expected or desired, but could he relegate his own intelligent task to anybody else?

From Project Gutenberg

He seemed to relegate self to the background; he was considerate, quiet, serene.

From Project Gutenberg

With each mornings greeting I felt the nights determination to relegate me into the safe distance of the crowd.

From Project Gutenberg

The apparently unthinking and apathetic class, who prefer to relegate all initiative to leaders whom they will loyally follow.

From Project Gutenberg

Keep Tzaritza out of the house and relegate the Sultana to the servant's quarters?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• consign
• entrust
• refer