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.
The former Sunderland player has been consistent over nine campaigns with Everton, winning the club's player-of-the-season award three times in a row as they battled relegation between 2021 and 2024.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
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
Pereira, who replaced Dyche in February, guided Forest to 16th in the Premier League - five points above the relegation zone - and the Europa League semi-finals, where they lost to eventual winners Aston Villa.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Spurs boss De Zerbi, who took over at Tottenham at the end of March and narrowly saved the club from Premier League relegation, described Tonali as a "special player".
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
As the volume of money contracts prices decline, and with the decline of prices comes stagnation of industry, and the relegation to idleness of thousands of willing workmen.
From Money: Speech of Hon. John P. Jones, of Nevada, On the Free Coinage of Silver; in the United States Senate, May 12 and 13, 1890 by Jones, John P. (John Percival)
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.
