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

The ruling underscores a judiciary increasingly willing to defer to military judgment, even as critics have warned that the policy could dismantle longstanding careers and have contested the need for such a ban. —Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025

The rest of the world deferred to Beijing in exchange for cheap prices. —Jordan Blum, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2025

Language in the redistricting bill would prevent courts from issuing temporary restraining orders and curb the interpretive power of the lower courts for the bill, deferring to the Indiana Supreme Court instead. —Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 8 Dec. 2025

Amar Gandhi deferred to the CHP. —Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 4 Dec. 2025

Rhymes for defer to

• amadou
• avenue
• ballyhoo
• baraboo
• barbecue
• barbeque
• bugaboo
• cabildo
• caribou
• cockatoo
• detinue
• devalue