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
But veterans’ groups complained that the new court was being too deferential to the VA when reviewing the agency’s decisions.
—
Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, 16 Oct. 2024
The court, which has historically been deferential toward sports governing bodies and their regulations, was highly critical of FIFA’s transfer system.
—Stefan Szymanski, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2024
The others, like Amazon, have been more deferential in working with the EU to avoid the kind of tension that Apple has faced, notes Axios senior tech policy reporter Ashley Gold.
—Pete Gannon, Axios, 19 Sep. 2024
Throughout the encounter, that woman and the other man were deferential and apologetic to the officers.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC News, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deferential 
Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, 16 Oct. 2024
The court, which has historically been deferential toward sports governing bodies and their regulations, was highly critical of FIFA’s transfer system.
—Stefan Szymanski, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2024
The others, like Amazon, have been more deferential in working with the EU to avoid the kind of tension that Apple has faced, notes Axios senior tech policy reporter Ashley Gold.
—Pete Gannon, Axios, 19 Sep. 2024
Throughout the encounter, that woman and the other man were deferential and apologetic to the officers.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC News, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deferential
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deferential.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near deferential
Cite this Entry
“Deferential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deferential. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
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Medical Definition
deferential
adjective
def·er·en·tial
ˌdef-ə-ˈren-chəl
: deferent
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