Synonyms of relegate

relegate

verb

ˈre-lə-ˌgāt 

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

• banish
• exile
• deport
• evict
• transport
• displace
• dismiss
• exclude
• eliminate
• expel
• expatriate
• eject
• run out
• spurn
• cast out
• kick out
• oust
• reject
• ostracize
• excommunicate
• repudiate
• dispossess
• throw out
• expulse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• receive
• accept
• admit
• naturalize
• repatriate
• take in
• entertain
• shelter
• house
• harbor

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

• classify
• rank
• distinguish
• categorize
• separate
• group
• distribute
• place
• sort
• grade
• type
• organize
• identify
• class
• compartmentalize
• codify
• recognize
• list
• digest
• refer
• peg
• file
• range
• order
• dispose
• shelve
• compartment
• break down
• assort
• catalog
• cull
• systematize
• alphabetize
• reclassify
• index
• draw up
• array
• pigeonhole
• marshal
• sift
• regroup
• winnow
• cluster
• set
• clump
• sieve
• screen
• recategorize
• colligate
• subcategorize

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• confuse
• lump
• scramble
• mix (up)
• disarrange
• jumble
• misclassify
• mistype
• missort

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

Recent Examples of relegate

In the past, if someone wasn't drinking alcohol, they were often relegated to a red plastic cup filled with tap water, creating a visual separation from the group. —William Jones, Ascend Agency, 27 Feb. 2026

Alice is annoyed that Lady Danbury got to be on the forefront of desegregating nobility while she has been relegated to décor. —Christina Grace Tucker, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026

Suddenly, the monstrosity of infinity, long feared by mathematicians, could no longer be relegated to some unreachable part of the number line. —Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 25 Feb. 2026

That all of this is set around a rather hazy, cataclysmic time that gets relegated to the side lends it even more of a haunting power that grabs hold of you. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026