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.
There’s little argument that relegation and promotion are among the features that make soccer overseas uniquely exciting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Bodo/Glimt started again from scratch in 2016 following their relegation from the top flight.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
There will also be four to six "last chance" competitions in the autumn for those facing relegation to still preserve Championship status.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
Lyon won an appeal against relegation the following month, after initially being demoted to Ligue 2 by French football's financial watchdog.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
Wider geographical knowledge made it difficult to assign the ghosts a mundane home, and led to their relegation to the sub-mundane region.
From Introduction to the History of Religions Handbooks on the History of Religions, Volume IV by Jastrow, Morris
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.
