defer to

phrasal verb

deferred to; deferring to; defers to
1
: to allow (someone else) to decide or choose something
You have more experience with this, so I'm going to defer to you.
deferring to the experts
2
defer to (something) : to agree to follow (someone else's decision, a tradition, etc.)
The court defers to precedent in cases like these.
He deferred to his parents' wishes.

Examples of defer to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Reynolds would need to defer to Marvel on any such casting decisions. Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 2 May 2025 Government attorneys argued that the courts typically defer to the president’s judgment on national security matters. Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025 Jason Manion, a lawyer for the Justice Department, said the government isn’t required to provide such evidence and that courts are supposed to defer to the military on policy questions. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025 As Fielder explains, co-pilots often seem to defer to superiors making poor choices, failing to take control of the aircraft even when doing so could prevent mass fatalities. Judy Berman, Time, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for defer to

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Defer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defer%20to. Accessed 8 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!