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
Representatives from Cook County State's Attorney's Office deferred to Chicago police when asked by ABC News about more information on the investigation.
—
Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 16 June 2026
In Deflategate, the courts ultimately deferred to the NFL’s disciplinary process because the commissioner’s authority flowed from a collective bargaining agreement.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2026
Aragchi also said all details of the nuclear program would be deferred to a round of negotiations that would take place after the memorandum of understanding or letter of intent is signed.
—Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 12 June 2026
Some did not respond, and others deferred to the steering committee spokesperson.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defer to
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Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 16 June 2026
In Deflategate, the courts ultimately deferred to the NFL’s disciplinary process because the commissioner’s authority flowed from a collective bargaining agreement.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2026
Aragchi also said all details of the nuclear program would be deferred to a round of negotiations that would take place after the memorandum of understanding or letter of intent is signed.
—Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 12 June 2026
Some did not respond, and others deferred to the steering committee spokesperson.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026
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 20 Jun. 2026.
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