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

deferentially

ˌde-fə-ˈren-chə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• respectful
• deferent

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

There were Hmong women with a certain style that never hit the pop culture radar: Tough, streetwise, cocksure and confident, deeply devoted to their families, friends and culture, but not the least bit demure or deferential. —Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 2 June 2025

Although congressional Republicans have remained deferential to Trump, their patience appears to be wearing thin. —Edward Fishman, Foreign Affairs, 4 June 2025

Some see Jeffries and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer as too deferential to established norms or too reluctant to use procedural powers to slow down Trump’s agenda. —Charlotte Alter, Time, 19 May 2025

There's an attitude that the national security and defense community has to be sensitive and deferential to Elon Musk because of his role in the government. —Mike Stone and Marisa Taylor, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

defer(ence) + -ential, by analogy with other Latin-derived words where the suffixes -ence and -ential imply one another (as prudence, prudential)

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deferential

• consequential
• evidential
• existential
• exponential
• influential
• nonessential
• penitential
• precedential
• preferential
• presidential
• providential
• referential

Kids Definition

deferential

adjective

def·​er·​en·​tial ˌdef-ə-ˈren-chəl 

: showing or expressing deference

deferentially

-ˈrench-(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

deferential

adjective

def·​er·​en·​tial ˌdef-ə-ˈren-chəl 

: deferent