relegation
Americannoun
-
assignment or banishment to an inferior position, place, rank, or condition.
Many factors are responsible for the relegation of disabled people to the margins of society.
The pending legislation shows the relegation of environmental concerns toward the bottom of the priority list in energy politics.
-
Soccer. demotion to a lower playing league or division based on a team’s record.
The European leagues are a meritocratic hierarchy connected by promotion and relegation.
Etymology
Origin of relegation
First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin relēgātiōn-, stem of relēgātiō “a sending away, banishment”; relegate ( def. ), -ion ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Union Berlin, who are 11th in the 18-team Bundesliga, are 11 points clear of the automatic relegation zone with five matches remaining but have won only twice in 14 league outings in 2026.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
It raised concerns he may have incurred an injury serious enough to rule him out of Tottenham's final six games as they battle to avoid relegation.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
De Zerbi agreed the stress and fear of relegation could be the factor consuming the Spurs squad – but he has no time to lose getting his message across.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
Eta pointed to the challenges she faces, with Union seven points ahead of St Pauli, who sit in the relegation play-off spot.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
The relegation of measures of the second rank to the two Standing Committees was expected to lighten the legislative burdens of the House of Commons very considerably, and this result was in some measure achieved.
From The New Irish Constitution by Morgan, J. H.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
