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
In a case from Wisconsin, the justices will reconsider that approach and decide whether instead to require the states to defer to religious authorities.
—
David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
The judge also deferred to the US assessment of TikTok’s recommendation algorithm as a tool that China could exploit to shift public opinion here.
—Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 6 Dec. 2024
Then, last summer, the justices in Loper Bright v. Raimondo overturned by the same margin the Chevron deference, a 40-year administrative law precedent that instructed judges to defer to agencies in cases where the law is ambiguous.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 23 Nov. 2024
But drafting regulations has become far more complicated following a Supreme Court ruling saying federal courts no longer have to defer to federal agencies facing a legal challenge to their authority.
—Julie Rovner, NPR, 21 Nov. 2024
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David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
The judge also deferred to the US assessment of TikTok’s recommendation algorithm as a tool that China could exploit to shift public opinion here.
—Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 6 Dec. 2024
Then, last summer, the justices in Loper Bright v. Raimondo overturned by the same margin the Chevron deference, a 40-year administrative law precedent that instructed judges to defer to agencies in cases where the law is ambiguous.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 23 Nov. 2024
But drafting regulations has become far more complicated following a Supreme Court ruling saying federal courts no longer have to defer to federal agencies facing a legal challenge to their authority.
—Julie Rovner, NPR, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defer to
Dictionary Entries Near defer to
Cite this Entry
“Defer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defer%20to. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
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