relegate to oblivion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "relegate to oblivion" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe the act of dismissing or consigning something to a state of being forgotten or ignored. Example: "The once-popular television show was relegated to oblivion after its final season, with few remembering its impact."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Here, writ very, very small, was the fate of the dinosaurs, the pterosaurs, and the ammonites — a once highly successful form now relegated to oblivion.

The New Yorker

As economic incentives, a popular shopping mall and an old building permit long relegated to oblivion have trumped more than $18 million in city spending to attract development downtown.

The New York Times

At the same time, as someone hoping that Cameron will be relegated to oblivion at the next election, I had to admit: if I could employ him to help bring that about, I would have to consider it.

The Guardian - Opinion

It is also about individuals who live within a society that cultivates certain memories while relegating others to oblivion, hardly ever stopping to question the price.

The Guardian - Film

Indeed, this would make the focal point of the second world war history the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact, by law rather as a matter of opinion, and of necessity relegate Holocaust commemoration day rapidly to oblivion.

The Guardian - Opinion

When the exiled leadership of the A.N.C. returned home after Mr. Mandela's release, many of the figures who had fought the township battles in its name in the long years of its banishment were relegated to secondary roles, or to oblivion, their contributions barely acknowledged.

The New York Times

Indifferent as she was to cosmetic indignities, Sotomayor, as a sophomore, led a group of Puerto Rican and Chicano students in filing a complaint with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, charging the university, as she explained to the school newspaper, with relegating "an important cultural sector of the population to oblivion".

The New Yorker

This era began at the start of the 20th century with the discovery by Gaskell (1889) and Johnston (1902) of hindbrain columns; general enthusiasm about their functional importance had the effect of relegating apparently non-functional and supposedly transient rhombomeres to oblivion.

Brain Structure and Function

Wittgenstein does not, however, relegate all that is not inside the bounds of sense to oblivion.

SEP

This corresponds with what Said (1978) contends in his work Orientalism: Western Universalism relegates the 'Others' to the margins as being inferior and even consigns them to oblivion.

Functional Linguistics

Wherever it appeared, paper swiftly relegated more primitive writing surfaces like stone, wood blocks, clay tablets, wax and sheets of laminated bark or matted papyrus stalks to oblivion.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "relegate to oblivion" when you want to convey that something or someone has been completely forgotten or rendered insignificant, often after a period of importance or relevance. The phrase carries a sense of finality and irreversible decline.

Common error

Avoid using "relegate to oblivion" for temporary setbacks or minor issues. The phrase implies a permanent and complete loss of relevance, so reserve it for situations where the subject has truly faded into obscurity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "relegate to oblivion" functions as a verb phrase followed by a prepositional phrase. It signifies the act of assigning something or someone to a state of being completely forgotten or disregarded. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through its examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "relegate to oblivion" is a grammatically correct expression used to describe something being completely forgotten or consigned to a state of insignificance. As Ludwig AI confirms, it appears in a variety of sources, including news and media, science, and more formal writing. While the phrase isn't extremely common, it's a powerful way to convey the complete loss of relevance. When using "relegate to oblivion", be mindful of its strong connotation and ensure it accurately reflects the permanent and complete nature of the forgetting or disregard you're describing. Alternative phrases, such as "consign to obscurity" or "cast into oblivion", can offer similar meanings with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cast into oblivion

Uses "cast" to emphasize the act of throwing something into a state of being forgotten.

consign to obscurity

Replaces "oblivion" with "obscurity", focusing on the state of being unknown or unclear.

relegate to the shadows

Uses "shadows" as a metaphor for being forgotten or ignored.

relegate to insignificance

Emphasizes the lack of importance or consequence.

banish from memory

Focuses on the act of actively removing something from remembrance.

relegate to the footnotes of history

Highlights the act of minimizing someone or something to a less important aspect of historical record.

relegate to the dustbin of history

Emphasizes the sense of something old or outdated being discarded from historical recognition.

consign to the wastebin

Focuses on the act of something being discarded.

relegate to the back burner

Shifts the focus to deprioritizing something rather than complete forgetting.

relegate to a secondary role

Refers to the act of diminishing the importance of someone or something.

FAQs

How can I use "relegate to oblivion" in a sentence?

You can use "relegate to oblivion" to describe something being completely forgotten or made insignificant. For example: "The once-popular technology was quickly relegated to oblivion after the arrival of its superior successor."

What's a good alternative to "relegate to oblivion"?

Alternatives include phrases like "consign to obscurity", "cast into oblivion", or "relegate to insignificance", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "relegate to oblivion" or "consign to oblivion"?

"Relegate to oblivion" and "consign to oblivion" are quite similar. "Consign to oblivion" might imply a more deliberate act of assigning something to that fate, while "relegate to oblivion" suggests a more passive process.

What does it mean to be relegated to the "dustbin of history"?

Being relegated to the "dustbin of history" is similar to "relegate to oblivion"; it means something is considered outdated, irrelevant, or failed and is no longer worth remembering or considering. It emphasizes the idea of being discarded.