deferential

adjective

def·​er·​en·​tial ˌde-fə-ˈren-chəl 

: showing or expressing respect and high regard due a superior or an elder : showing or expressing deference

listened with deferential attention to his grandfather

deferential to the judge's decision

deferentially

ˌde-fə-ˈren-chə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• deferent
• dutiful
• regardful
• respectful

Examples of deferential in a Sentence

the man had the deferential attitude of someone who had been a servant his entire life

Recent Examples on the Web

Critics of the Trump administration’s long-overdue attempt to degrade the Houthis’ capacity to disrupt international shipping (a terrorist initiative that is occasionally quite deferential to the West’s enemies in Beijing and Moscow) have made a variety of tendentious claims. —The Editors, National Review, 18 Mar. 2025

As Zelensky tried to get a word in, Trump and Vance attack him for not being sufficiently deferential. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2025

Largely deferential to Herro this season, this was the rare opportunity of Adebayo having the stage to himself . . . —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2025

Veterans groups, however, complained that the new court was too deferential to the VA when reviewing the agency’s decisions. —Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

defer(ence) + -ential, by analogy with other Latin-derived words where the suffixes -ence and -ential imply one another (as prudence, prudential)

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deferential

• consequential
• evidential
• existential
• exponential
• influential
• nonessential
• penitential
• precedential
• preferential
• presidential
• providential
• referential

Kids Definition

deferential

adjective

def·​er·​en·​tial ˌdef-ə-ˈren-chəl 

: showing or expressing deference

deferentially

-ˈrench-(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

deferential

adjective

def·​er·​en·​tial ˌdef-ə-ˈren-chəl 

: deferent