respect

1 of 2

noun

re·​spect ri-ˈspekt 

1

: a feeling or understanding that someone or something is important, serious, etc., and deserves appropriate treatment or regard : consideration

showed no respect for my feelings

I expect to be treated with respect.

has no respect for the law

They taught their children a healthy respect for the dangers of the road.

2

a

: high or special regard : esteem

has earned their respect

… had to work harder to gain respect from her peers.

—Katie McInerney and Jayna Bardahl

b

: the quality or state of being esteemed

an organization held in high respect

c

respects plural : expressions of high or special regard or deference

paid our respects

Please send my respects to your parents.

3

: a particular way of thinking about or looking at something

a good plan in some respects

Your theory makes sense in one respect.

4

: a relation or reference to a particular thing or situation : relevance

The questions had respect to her financial situation.

respect

2 of 2

verb

respected; respecting; respects

transitive verb

1

a

: to consider worthy of high regard : esteem

I respect what you have accomplished.

The students respected their principal for his honesty.

b

: to act in a way which shows awareness of (someone's rights, wishes, etc.)

Please respect their privacy/property/wishes.

2

a

: to treat or deal with (something good or valuable) in a proper way

We need to respect the environment.

b

: do what is required by (a law, rule, etc.)

She always respects the speed limit.

3

: to have reference to : concern

respecter noun

Phrases

in respect of

chiefly British : with respect to : concerning

in respect to

: with respect to : concerning

with respect to

: with reference to : in relation to

There have been problems with respect to transferring the data from the old computer to the new one.

But the movie is lodged in a very strange place with respect to genre.

—Jo Livingstone

Synonyms of respect

Noun

• admiration
• regard
• appreciation

Verb

• admire
• regard
• appreciate

Choose the Right Synonym for respect

regard, respect, esteem, admire mean to recognize the worth of a person or thing.

regard is a general term that is usually qualified.

he is highly regarded in the profession

respect implies a considered evaluation or estimation.

after many years they came to respect her views

esteem implies greater warmth of feeling accompanying a high valuation.

no citizen of the town was more highly esteemed

admire suggests usually enthusiastic appreciation and often deep affection.

a friend that I truly admire

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

Meanwhile, the best title race of all is the American’s, which almost certainly doubles as the Group of 5’s Playoff chase (with all due respect to 7-1 JMU and 7-1 San Diego State). —Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025

In that respect, ornamental trees and shrubs are no different from edibles. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2025

Verb

Cookie Monster’s Big Puzzle, where Elmo becomes frustrated and Cookie Monster learns to respect what a friend wants. —Sarah Scott, Parents, 3 Nov. 2025

For families seeking long-term, generational partnerships, this kind of longevity translates into reassurance that their values and goals will be respected, not just today, but thirty years from now. —Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Latin respectus, literally, act of looking back, from respicere to look back, regard, from re- + specere to look — more at spy

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

1543, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing respect

• self-respect
• with (all) (due) respect

Rhymes for respect

• affect
• aspect
• bedecked
• bisect
• collect
• connect
• correct
• deflect
• detect
• direct
• dissect
• effect

Kids Definition

respect

1 of 2 noun

re·​spect ri-ˈspekt 

1

: relation to or concern with something specified : reference

with respect to your last letter

2

a

: high or special regard : esteem

b

plural : expressions of regard or courtesy

pay my respects to your family

3

: detail entry 1 sense 1b

perfect in all respects

respect

2 of 2 verb

1

: to consider worthy of high regard : esteem

2

: to avoid interfering with

respected their wishes

respecter noun