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

Examples of relegate in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web The resulting penalty saw Verstappen promoted back to a podium finish, and Norris relegated down to fourth. Jamie Barton, CNN, 21 Oct. 2024 Everyone knows each other but their minimal history is relegated entirely to exposition. Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2024 Nneka was unfortunately relegated to a one-season phenomenon, taking her shrine and witchcraft allegations out the door with her. Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2024 Zelda does get a spin move to cut down grass and bushes for rupees and hearts, but actual combat is relegated to this separate form, which has a finite usage. Ollie Barder, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for relegate 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relegate
Verb
  • Tribal leaders had banished Chasing Horse in 2015 from the reservation amid allegations of human trafficking.
    CBS News, CBS News, 31 Oct. 2024
  • Those found guilty of habitual funny cowboy dancing are either executed or banished to the Desolate Zone, where they are forced to get jobs and raise families.
    Jack Handey, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • The Trust is classified as a 'grantor trust' for United States federal income tax purposes, meaning the Trust itself is not subject to federal income tax.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Due to this, certain states can be classified as battleground states or swing states, meaning that they can be won by either presidential candidate.
    Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Dharamshala is best known internationally as the seat of the Dalai Lama, who has been based there since being exiled from Tibet in 1959.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024
  • But he’s falsely accused and exiled in a scheme to break off his relationship with the local ruler’s daughter Tirtaningsih.
    H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The San Joaquin Valley, with just 39 primary care docs per 100,000 population, ranks just ahead of the Inland Empire, with 35 per 100,000, as areas of acute physician shortage.
    Sally C. Pipes, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
  • The smash jumps from No. 24 to No. 4 on the Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles ranking.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The campaign pledge with the greatest immediate impact will be his plan to deport millions of people who entered this country illegally.
    Stephen Engelberg, ProPublica, 6 Nov. 2024
  • In his campaign, Trump promised to wield tariffs more aggressively against U.S. trading partners, deport millions of undocumented immigrants and extend his 2017 tax cuts.
    Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • No Trump tariffs On the issue of trade, Harris has sought to distinguish herself from Trump while also recognizing the need for protectionist measures in certain circumstances.
    Nik Popli, TIME, 23 Oct. 2024
  • What distinguishes this type of think piece from other reporting on the election process is tone and emphasis, rather than information.
    Justin Levitt, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • High-altitude rivalry The blurry boundaries through the Himalayan peaks and plateaus separating China and its southern neighbors are often relics of imperial era agreements and nomadic routes – now charged with the nationalist rhetoric and military might of New Delhi and Beijing.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Minor candidates picked up 3% to 4% of the vote in Economist/YouGov and Times/Siena polls over the last week, a greater vote share than the one percentage point separating Trump and Harris.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • However, he was fired as head coach for reasons other than on-field performance, and therefore, categorize him as an understandable outlier.
    Giovanni Malloy, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
  • The six other major swing states—Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—as well as Minnesota and Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, are all categorized as toss-ups on RealClearPolitics' Electoral College ratings map.
    Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near relegate

Cite this Entry

“Relegate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relegate. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on relegate

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