respect
noun
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Definition of respect
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : a relation or reference to a particular thing or situation remarks having respect to an earlier plan
2 : an act of giving particular attention : consideration
3a : high or special regard : esteem
b : the quality or state of being esteemed
c respects plural : expressions of high or special regard or deference paid our respects
4 : particular, detail a good plan in some respects
chiefly British : with respect to : concerning
: with respect to : concerning
: with reference to : in relation to
respect
verb
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Definition of respect (Entry 2 of 2)
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Synonyms & Antonyms for respect
Synonyms: Noun
account, admiration, appreciation, esteem, estimation, favor, regard
Synonyms: Verb
admire, appreciate, consider, esteem, regard
Antonyms: Noun
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Examples of respect in a Sentence
Noun
The earth's crust floats over a core of molten rock and some of its parts have a tendency to move with respect to one another. —Mario Salvadori, Why Buildings Stand Up, 1990 Anyway any honor sent through the mail and cashable is about the only kind I got any great respect for … —Flannery O'Connor, The Habit of Being, 1979 Our ragged hero wasn't a model boy in all respects. I am afraid he swore sometimes, and now and then he played tricks upon unsophisticated boys from the country, or gave a wrong direction to honest old gentlemen unused to the city. —Horatio Alger, Ragged Dick, 1868 The Cat only grinned when it saw Alice. It looked good-natured, she thought: still it had VERY long claws and a great many teeth, so she felt that it ought to be treated with respect. —Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 1865 He has earned their respect. The soldier saluted as a sign of respect. Despite our differences, I have enormous respect for him. I have a great respect for his accomplishments. I expect to be treated with respect. Your theory makes sense in one respect.Verb
Many other critics respect her work, but marginalize her as "the best Polish woman artist" or "the best woman artist of Eastern Europe." —Andrew Solomon, New York Times Book Review, 21 Aug. 1994 He had a weak point—this Fortunato—although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. —Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado, 1846 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof … —The Constitiution of the United States of America The students respect the principal for his honesty. I respect what she has accomplished. You must learn to respect other people's property. We need to respect the environment.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
In February its chief executive, Laurent Potdevin, resigned for conduct that the firm said fell short of its standards on integrity and showing respect for all employees. — The Economist, "Despite falling foul of the #MeToo movement, Lululemon is soaring," 12 July 2018 Justice Neil Gorsuch, who declared a deep respect for precedent at his confirmation hearing last year, joined the majority. — Mark Arsenault, BostonGlobe.com, "In polarizing era, respect for precedent depends on the case," 11 July 2018 My compliance didn’t arise from a deep respect for the law so much as a desperate urge to avoid the grey vampire of bureaucracy. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, "Driving Without a Smartphone," 10 July 2018 So in some respects, yes, the classic romantic comedy—ones where women are reduced to male-obsessed beings—is dead. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Netflix Is Making the Rom-Com Cool Again," 10 July 2018 Judge Kavanaugh’s First Amendment jurisprudence also reflects a deep respect for the free exercise of religion and speech. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Kavanaugh for the Court," 9 July 2018 The volatility of our world right now requires a response informed by both a respect for human dignity and an understanding of what happens in its absence. — Bob Mckillop, Washington Post, "Why take our college basketball team to Auschwitz?," 3 July 2018 Guttier said the first batch focusing on a mutual respect between both drivers and pedestrians will air in the upcoming months. — Bree Burkitt, azcentral, "Latest string of deadly pedestrian accidents continues Arizona trend," 2 July 2018 Beyond a true love for one another, the pair also displayed a true and unabiding respect and admiration for the other. — Stacey Leasca, ajc, "George Bush reportedly said this to Barbara every night during their 73 years of marriage," 14 June 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The protestors respect the space and are working to keep it peaceful, even with the occasional heckler passing by and the near constant police presence. — Philly.com, "ICE protestors outside City Hall battle heat, loss of electricity," 9 July 2018 There's nothing official about this process, and migrants don't have to respect the waitlist system devised by the community groups. — Rafael Carranza, azcentral, "What happens when migrants seeking asylum get to the border?," 22 June 2018 The president likes and respects Prime Minister May very much. — Aaron Blake, Washington Post, "Trump denies he said something that he said on a tape everyone has heard," 13 July 2018 Santiago Galindo, an established and respected producer at Televisa who helmed a slew of successful shows, including entertainment blockbusters Pequeños Gigantes and Bailando por un Sueño (Dancing for a Dream), has died. — Leila Cobo, Billboard, "Mexican TV Producer Santiago Galindo, Known for Musical Productions, Found Dead," 11 July 2018 Coach Brett Brown is a former San Antonio Spurs assistant, and James respects the heck out of Gregg Popovich. — Charles Curtis, For The Win, "How the 76ers should convince LeBron James to sign with them," 26 June 2018 Mean-spiritedness and the inability to set and respect boundaries. — Vanity Fair, HWD, "Laverne Cox Answers the Proust Questionnaire," 11 June 2018 Kavanaugh in the past has made statements about respecting precedent that could help in winning over senators, particularly Murkowski and Collins. — Lisa Mascaro, The Seattle Times, "Emotions high as Kavanaugh begins fight for confirmation," 10 July 2018 The chief justice also does have legitimate philosophical priors about respecting precedent and issuing the narrowest possible opinions. — Dylan Scott, Vox, "John Roberts is the Supreme Court’s new swing vote. Is he going to overturn Roe v. Wade?," 9 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'respect.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Learn More about respect
From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
The Good, The Bad, & The...
The Good, The Bad, & The Semantically Imprecise - 8/17/2018
The words that defined the week of August 17th, 2018
Respectively vs. Respectfully
Respectively vs. Respectfully
Respect the differences between this pair
Gallery: Word of the Year 2015
Gallery: Word of the Year 2015
The events that drove the top look-ups in 2015.
Phrases Related to respect
Statistics for respect
Last Updated
11 Sep 2018
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for respect
The first known use of respect was in the 14th century
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More Definitions for respect
respect
noun
English Language Learners Definition of respect
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a feeling of admiring someone or something that is good, valuable, important, etc.
: a feeling or understanding that someone or something is important, serious, etc., and should be treated in an appropriate way
: a particular way of thinking about or looking at something
respect
verb
English Language Learners Definition of respect (Entry 2 of 2)
: to feel admiration for (someone or something) : to regard (someone or something) as being worthy of admiration because of good qualities
: to act in a way which shows that you are aware of (someone's rights, wishes, etc.)
: to treat or deal with (something that is good or valuable) in a proper way
See the full definition for respect in the English Language Learners Dictionary
respect
noun
\
Kids Definition of respect
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : high or special regard : esteem
2 : thoughtfulness or consideration “Of course, we would wait the appropriate amount of time out of respect for my brother.” —Pam Muñoz Ryan, Esperanza Rising
3 respects plural : an expression of regard or courtesy pay my respects
4 : detail entry 1 sense 2 Our trip was perfect in all respects.
5 : relation to or concern with something specified I'm writing with respect to your ad.
respect
verbKids Definition of respect (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : to consider worthy of high regard : esteem
2 : to pay attention to We respected their wishes.
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