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
That is not certain, and the Padres are deferring to Darvish on the pace of his comeback after the 38-year-old right-hander was shut down in mid-March with elbow inflammation.
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Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025
Asked about the disagreement Wednesday night, Johnson was coy but deferred to Guthrie.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 8 May 2025
The Department of Homeland Security deferred to the Justice Department on comment.
—Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 6 May 2025
Asked if this latest news affected their relationship, Leavitt deferred to the president.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defer to
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Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025
Asked about the disagreement Wednesday night, Johnson was coy but deferred to Guthrie.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 8 May 2025
The Department of Homeland Security deferred to the Justice Department on comment.
—Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 6 May 2025
Asked if this latest news affected their relationship, Leavitt deferred to the president.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defer to
Cite this Entry
“Defer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defer%20to. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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