relegation
Americannoun
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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.
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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”; see 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.
Raya returned to Blackburn and made appearances in the Championship, but had to wait until the club's relegation to League One to become first choice in 2017.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
And ordinarily, the teams who finish 18th and 19th in the Premier League receive a bye into round two - with the rest of the top-flight teams who avoided relegation.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is meeting senior management on Monday to assess the impact of relegation to the Championship amid a belief he is likely to leave the club.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
St Mirren need to change a lot of things at their club or they're going to be facing automatic relegation next season.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
Still more resented her own relegation to the nullity of the prenatal state.
From Deadham Hard by Malet, Lucas
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.
