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 An unassuming airstrip, once built to serve supersonic jets but quickly relegated to a training facility, thrummed with activity Monday as tractor trailers unloaded supplies and construction crews worked in the thick humidity to finish building the detention facility. —Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 1 July 2025 Martinez coming so close to what would have been the 327th no-hitter in MLB history relegated Spencer Steer’s three-homer night to a sub-headline. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025 But after Brunson, Payne and McBride all returned from their in-season injuries, Thibodeau relegated Wright back to his end-of-the-bench role. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 27 June 2025 Cameron Payne was relegated to the end of the bench by the conference finals. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for relegate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relegate
  1. banish
  2. classify
  3. exile
  4. rank
  5. deport
  6. distinguish
  7. categorize
Verb
  • Vera, the daughter of a Russian father and Korean mother, may be banished to second-class citizenry.
    — Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025
  • During those frenzied years in the 1960s and 1970s, authorities banished Xi from the capital and subjected him to solitary confinement and physical abuse.
    — JOSEPH TORIGIAN, Foreign Affairs, 23 June 2025
Definition of banish
Verb
  • Cashews are classified as tree nuts, one of the nine major food allergens.
    — Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
  • More than half of the cases — 417 — were classified as immigration violations.
    — Norma Galeana, CNN Money, 4 July 2025
Definition of classify
Verb
  • And what of Matthias Schoenaerts’ Booker, who was exiled for betraying the Old Guard as part of a bid to cure his eternality?
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 2 July 2025
  • Jorge Mas Canosa, the father of David Beckham’s co-owners at Inter Miami, Jorge and Jose, was one of many who exiled from Cuba after the rise of Fidel Castro.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 June 2025
Definition of exile
Verb
  • Tolle, Boston’s second-round pick, is currently ranked No. 49 on Baseball America’s Top 100.
    — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
  • She was ranked by ESPN as the No. 36 recruit in the class of 2025.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2025
Definition of rank
Verb
  • This week, Musk responded to Bannon’s recent calls for him to be arrested and deported with a post that sparked instant controversy on social media.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 8 July 2025
  • Located beneath Île de la Cité, this stark, minimalist crypt honors the 200,000 French victims deported to Nazi camps.
    — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Definition of deport
Verb
  • At just under 6-5 without shoes, Tre distinguishes himself as an outside shooter.
    — Josh Robbins, New York Times, 9 July 2025
  • The team had already distinguished itself as one of just six top-flight clubs with greater revenue than expenses in 2024.
    — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 8 July 2025
Definition of distinguish
Verb
  • Trump has also frequented his own resort properties, notably Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster, for personal retreats or closed-press political dinners, but these have generally not been categorized as public events.
    — MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025
  • Regulators now categorize the south Biscayne Bay coast as having a one-in-four chance of flooding from a storm surge within 30 years.
    — Denise Hruby Updated July 13, Miami Herald, 13 July 2025
Definition of categorize

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 19 Jul. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on relegate

Nglish: Translation of relegate for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ten Painless Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

12 Words Whose History Will Surprise You
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Ten Painless Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a plate of arepas
Name That Dish! Some mouth-watering food for thought
See All