relegate

verb

ˈre-lə-ˌgāt How to pronounce relegate (audio)
Definition of relegatenext
1
as in to banish
to force to leave a country courtiers and generals who incurred the emperor's disfavor were soon relegated to the farther reaches of the empire

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to classify
to arrange or assign according to type some psychologists argue that the syndrome should be relegated to a different class of autism

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word relegate distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of relegate are commit, confide, consign, and entrust. While all these words mean "to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose," relegate implies a consigning to a particular class or sphere often with a suggestion of getting rid of.

relegated to an obscure position in the company

Where would commit be a reasonable alternative to relegate?

While in some cases nearly identical to relegate, commit may express the general idea of delivering into another's charge or the special sense of transferring to a superior power or to a special place of custody.

committed the felon to prison

When is it sensible to use confide instead of relegate?

Although the words confide and relegate have much in common, confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance.

confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney

When could consign be used to replace relegate?

In some situations, the words consign and relegate are roughly equivalent. However, consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality.

consigned the damaging notes to the fire

When might entrust be a better fit than relegate?

While the synonyms entrust and relegate are close in meaning, entrust implies committing with trust and confidence.

the president is entrusted with broad powers

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of relegate Six of the seven 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Houston will be broadcast on Fox with only one relegated to FS1, Fox Sports announced Thursday. —Peter Warren, Houston Chronicle, 30 Jan. 2026 Narrow down your investing options Silver investing is no longer relegated to the local pawnshop or jeweler. —Matt Richardson, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026 Most new skiers are relegated to the bottom of the hill without any views at all. —Graham Averill, Outside, 29 Jan. 2026 But she’s done relegating herself to supporting roles only. —Kat Moon, Time, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relegate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relegate
  1. banish
  2. classify
  3. exile
  4. rank
  5. deport
  6. distinguish
Verb
  • Meanwhile, media outlets have begun reopening their airwaves to critical voices banished in recent years.
    — EGINA GARCIA CANO, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Cases are proliferating in a Mexican state that borders Texas, with the pest having escaped containment by an international eradication program that banished it for decades.
    — Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of banish
Verb
  • The case is the first time the Justice Department has attempted to classify critical speech from prominent Trump detractors as a crime.
    — Jeremy Roebuck, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Commercial prediction markets have resisted efforts by states to classify and regulate them as gambling companies, insisting that they — like their precursor in Iowa — should be overseen by federal regulators.
    — Suzy Khimm, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of classify
Verb
  • Advertisement But pro-democracy figures have argued that local governance has grown increasingly aligned with the mainland as political dissidents have either been jailed or exiled, organizations have disbanded, and a free press dismantled.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Baton follows a soccer player (Ramirez), relentlessly pursuing his dream of playing professionally, who threatens his relationship with his sister after he is kicked off the team and exiled back to Miami.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of exile
Verb
  • Chief Deputy Chris Ketteman, who ranks just below the sheriff, decides whether each complaint warrants an internal affairs investigation or can be handled by a supervisor.
    — Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Feb. 2026
  • His 42nd-minute strike was his second and Arsenal’s eighth league goal from outside the box this season, which ranks them third of the Premier League teams (behind Bournemouth’s 11 and Aston Villa’s 13) for that metric.
    — Art de Roché, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of rank
Verb
  • Right-wing backlash to the announcement of a Spanish-language halftime performance was swift and included calls to deport Bad Bunny, who is an American citizen.
    — Vanessa Diaz, Rolling Stone, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Some have had parents deported.
    — Cate Charron, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of deport
Verb
  • Since launching her Senate run in December, the progressive firebrand has distinguished herself with an unconventional campaign, eschewing traditional advice regarding key tenets of campaigning, such as fundraising and advertising output.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 9 Feb. 2026
  • This approach has distinguished thousands of individual types of brain cells, many more than previously known.
    — Amber Dance, Quanta Magazine, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of distinguish

Browse Nearby Words

releasing
relegate
relegated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Relegate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relegate. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on relegate

Nglish: Translation of relegate for Spanish Speakers

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