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 Such setbacks have primarily relegated the linebacker to watching from the sidelines and leading the Broncos’ linebackers in pregame huddles. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025 Other than six games for the Rams from 1982-83, he was relegated to practice squad duties. Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 Instead, it was relegated to yet another anticlimactic episode of What Might Have Been. Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2025 Rotary phones, once a staple in the typical mid-century living room, were largely relegated to dusty basements and landfills following the introduction of the push-button touch-tone phone. Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for relegate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relegate
Verb
  • Disruption and sadness shall be banished.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
  • As for banishing, those shiny black leggings—the rock chic sort that look PVC but aren’t.
    Olivia Allen, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Related Stories In a nutsell, the test arranged by the cutter’s union documented that AI tools are great for organizing, classifying and summarizing.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Police and the media classified Gacy’s victims as male prostitutes and homosexuals, using that as an excuse to marginalize and blame them.
    Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As details of Prince Andrew's past correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein continue to surface, royal experts claim King Charles III is facing mounting pressure from family members to exile his brother as fear of the monarchy's demise lingers.
    Christina Dugan Ramirez , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Before our very eyes, left-wing radicals toppled his statues, vandalized his monuments, tarnished his character, and sought to exile him from our public spaces.
    Addy Bink, The Hill, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Chicago ranks 23rd in EPA/play, according to TruMedia, and its most impressive performance has come against a dreadful Cowboys defense.
    Austin Mock, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Board members used a points system to rank their top three choices; each member's top candidate received three points, their second choice received two points and their third choice received one point.
    Edward McKinnon, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Wallenberg arrives five months after Nazi forces had begun to deport some 437,000 Jews from outside Budapest to camps such as Auschwitz.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Previously, foreign nationals caught illegally trading in gold were simply deported.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This figure does not distinguish between combatants and civilians and is disputed by Israeli officials, but is widely cited by Western sources.
    Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Dean and distinguished professor for the school of management and labor relations at Rutgers University Mark Anner defined the wage gap as the difference between the prevailing wage (what workers actually get) and what they should be paid (the living wage).
    Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The spreadsheet and case notes either lack enough detail or contain none at all to categorize.
    Danielle DuClos, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Another user, who said they are categorized as essential and are still going into the office, said in a post that their team had set up a food pantry in the office for colleagues who might struggle to afford essentials while not getting paid.
    Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Relegate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relegate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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