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

Matheson continued to emphasize the difference between his real-life skills and those of his character, deferring to Spencer. —Avalon Hester, People.com, 26 June 2025

Khanna deferred to Kaine's office for details on additional co-sponsors. —Jason Lemon, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025

For example, administrators and boards often have deferred to faculty opinion about general education requirements. —Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025

Hegseth defers to general on Pentagon’s plans for Iran The Hill: What is a ‘bunker buster’ bomb? 🏛️ IN THE SUPREME COURT Trans youth care ban upheld: The Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law that bans some medical treatments — puberty blockers and hormone treatments — for transgender minors. —Cate Martel, The Hill, 18 June 2025

Rhymes for defer to

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