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.
Tipped for relegation by many, Sunderland ended the campaign in seventh to qualify for Europe for the first time since 1973.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Spence was named in Tottenham's Premier League starting XI 23 times last season as they narrowly avoided relegation.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
He captained the side last season as Tottenham narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
It is understood manager Roberto de Zerbi was keen to sign Palhinha because of his role in helping Spurs avoid relegation, but the club were unable to reach an agreement with Bayern.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
To every section of Churchmen the relegation of moral sanctions within the domain of verifiable consequences was a doctrine to be resisted strenuously.
From Studies in Literature and History by John O. Miller
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.
