relegate

relegate (someone or something) to (something)

To consign someone or something to some inferior, obscure, or trivial rank, status, position, place, category, etc. Often used in passive constructions. So brief was his presidency that William Henry Harrison has been relegated to little more than a footnote in American history. Rather than firing me outright, they've relegated me to a thankless, dead-end job in the company. Failing to find critical success in the art work, his work has been relegated to the lobbies of cheap hotels and cafés.
See also: relegate
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

relegate someone to someone or something

to assign someone to someone or something. (Often refers to something unimportant or demeaning.) They relegated the old man to a bed in the corner. The former vice president was relegated to the position of manager of special projects.
See also: relegate
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • relegate (someone or something) to (something)
  • relegate to
  • perceive
  • perceive (someone or something) as (something)
  • perceive as
  • tap
  • tap (one) for (something)
  • tap someone
  • tap someone for something
  • taps
References in periodicals archive
"The simple answer is why not have 21 clubs in the Premiership next season and relegate four of them at the end.
Norwich will go down unless they win at Charlton and Barnsley lose at Plymouth - which would relegate Barnsley instead.
A 1-0 win would have been enough to keep Alty up and relegate STAFFORD in their place.