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
Verb
  • And Leland was banished forever to a naughty mystical closet at the silent retreat upstate.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 16 July 2025
  • With billions of dollars at his disposal and tech masterminds at his service, Luthor sets out to banish Superman from Earth forever.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • The information, classified as secret, pertained to military targets and Russian military capabilities, according to the plea agreement.
    CBS News, CBS News, 14 July 2025
  • That likely explains why the impression of the fossil housed at the Senckenberg Natural History Museum in Germany had long been classified as Homoeosaurus maximiliani.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2025
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
Verb
  • Jack Draper: Second Round Stunner Draper entered Wimbledon ranked No. 4, the highest of a British player since Andy Murray.
    Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
  • LendingTree, the personal finance site, ranked the 100 largest metropolitan areas on five metrics of financial health, focusing on the ideal of living within one's means.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 13 July 2025
Verb
  • Health care providers told The Associated Press that everything, especially the fear of being arrested or deported, is having a chilling effect on people seeking care.
    Tran Nguyen, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2025
  • Most – if not all – have been convicted of crimes of varying severity, though many served their full sentences before being deported.
    Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • At just under 6-5 without shoes, Tre distinguishes himself as an outside shooter.
    Josh Robbins, New York Times, 9 July 2025
  • How does history distinguish knaves from legendary figures?
    W.E. Gutman, Sun Sentinel, 8 July 2025
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

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Cite this Entry

“Relegate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relegate. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.

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