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
Colleagues and collaborators defer to your authority as the sun and Jupiter harmonize.
—
Usa Today, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
Reached for comment about conditions at the camp, a spokesperson from the Panamanian Security Minister’s office deferred to the International Office for Migration (IOM), which assists migrants.
—Omar Jimenez, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2025
Both Gabbard and Ratcliffe deferred to Hegseth on issues of classification.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 28 Mar. 2025
When asked for comment about the suspension of the coordinated efforts, the White House deferred to the NSC.
—Erin Banco and Mari Saito, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defer to
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.
Usa Today, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
Reached for comment about conditions at the camp, a spokesperson from the Panamanian Security Minister’s office deferred to the International Office for Migration (IOM), which assists migrants.
—Omar Jimenez, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2025
Both Gabbard and Ratcliffe deferred to Hegseth on issues of classification.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 28 Mar. 2025
When asked for comment about the suspension of the coordinated efforts, the White House deferred to the NSC.
—Erin Banco and Mari Saito, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defer to
Cite this Entry
“Defer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defer%20to. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share