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 new additions are thoughtful and deferential, keeping the original intact to a great degree.
—
Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
At one point, MacLachlan orchestrates a heart-stopping moment of reckoning for Bill and Tammy, written with a sudden, cathartic directness—a break in their usual language of deferential hesitations—which the actors underplay to perfection.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
In so doing, the courts largely cast aside a century of jurisprudence in which courts were deferential to the Commissioners’ role as guardians of their leagues.
—Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
In the 1880s, John appeared destined for poetic glory and Constantine’s deferential posture tacitly accepted this outcome.
—Gregory Jusdanis, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deferential
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Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
At one point, MacLachlan orchestrates a heart-stopping moment of reckoning for Bill and Tammy, written with a sudden, cathartic directness—a break in their usual language of deferential hesitations—which the actors underplay to perfection.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
In so doing, the courts largely cast aside a century of jurisprudence in which courts were deferential to the Commissioners’ role as guardians of their leagues.
—Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
In the 1880s, John appeared destined for poetic glory and Constantine’s deferential posture tacitly accepted this outcome.
—Gregory Jusdanis, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 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 9 Sep. 2025.
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Medical Definition
deferential
adjective
def·er·en·tial
ˌdef-ə-ˈren-chəl
: deferent
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