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
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
The Senate unanimously confirmed Haugh to his post in December 2023, and Republicans and Democrats alike were broadly deferential to him during his marathon testimony last month before the House and Senate intelligence committees.
—
Josh Meyer, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
Newsom’s deferential tone toward far-right guests like Charlie Kirk and Michael Savage—including agreeing with Kirk’s stance on banning transgender athletes from women’s sports—has alienated progressive allies and LGBTQ+ advocates, undermining his reputation as a champion of LGBTQ+ rights[1][7][9].
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 12 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
The Red Sox have long taken an almost deferential approach to Devers, but Tuesday, one day before the Bregman deal was complete, Breslow offered a more assertive tone.
—Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deferential
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.
Josh Meyer, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
Newsom’s deferential tone toward far-right guests like Charlie Kirk and Michael Savage—including agreeing with Kirk’s stance on banning transgender athletes from women’s sports—has alienated progressive allies and LGBTQ+ advocates, undermining his reputation as a champion of LGBTQ+ rights[1][7][9].
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 12 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
The Red Sox have long taken an almost deferential approach to Devers, but Tuesday, one day before the Bregman deal was complete, Breslow offered a more assertive tone.
—Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deferential
Cite this Entry
“Deferential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deferential. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
deferential
adjective
def·er·en·tial
ˌdef-ə-ˈren-chəl
: deferent
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share