relegate
To assign to a lower or less important position
Examples
In a meeting
“We've relegated that feature request to the backlog for now.”
Over coffee
“I've relegated my old guitar to the closet since I never play it.”
Why this word
demote
demote refers specifically to lowering someone's rank or position, while relegate means to assign to an inferior position or dismiss to a lower category
assign
assign is neutral about rank, while relegate specifically means to consign to a lower or less important position
banish
banish means to send away completely, while relegate means to move to a lower status or less prominent position
Usage tip
Use when downgrading priority or importance. Often implies something deserved better but circumstances required demotion.
Etymology
Latin 'relegare' from 're-' (back) + 'legare' (to send)
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