defer to

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 American Veterinary Medical Association strongly discourages declawing as an elective procedure, but defers to veterinarians on each case. — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026

Courts have generally deferred to legislatures on this question. — Noelle Crombie, ProPublica, 11 Nov. 2026

The White House deferred to the president's remarks when reached for further comment Sunday evening. — Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026

But if Washington’s actions become untethered from these restraints, others will no longer defer to American prerogatives, and the world will become a more dangerous place. — David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2026

Rhymes for defer to

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