relegate

/ˌrɛləˈgeɪt/

/ˈrɛləgeɪt/

Other forms: relegated; relegating; relegates

Relegate means "to assign to a lower position." If the quarterback of the football team stops making decent throws, he might be relegated to the position of benchwarmer.

Relegate rhymes with delegate — both words derive from the Latin legare, "to send." Relegate means to send someone down in rank. Delegate means to send someone in your place to complete a task. In the workplace, managers who can't figure out how to delegate may get relegated to a lesser rank.

Definitions of relegate

1. verb

   assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
   synonyms: break, bump, demote, kick downstairs

   types:

   sideline

   remove from the center of activity or attention; place into an inferior position

   reduce

   bring to humbler or weaker state or condition

   type of:

   assign, delegate, depute, designate

   give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)
2. verb

   assign to a class or kind
   “People argue about how to relegate certain mushrooms”

   synonyms: classify

   type of:

   assign, attribute

   decide as to where something belongs in a scheme
3. verb

   refer to another person for decision or judgment
   “She likes to relegate difficult questions to her colleagues”

   synonyms: pass on, submit

   type of:

   subject, submit

   refer for judgment or consideration
4. verb

   expel, as if by official decree
   synonyms: banish, bar

   types:

   spike

   stand in the way of

   type of:

   expel, kick out, throw out

   force to leave or move out