as in obedience
a readiness or willingness to yield to the wishes of others
the sycophantic deference with which the hotel treats celebrity guests
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Recent Examples of deference
Courts also accord high deference to arbitration decisions and require extraordinary findings to vacate an arbitration award, meaning arbitration decisions are normally not disturbed or challenged.
—
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Apr. 2026
In spite of a seismic crossing of the technological Rubicon, an abandonment of the centuries-old deference to the naked eye, a codifying and calcifying of the most atomic-level building block of the sport, baseball mostly just looked like baseball.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
In Syria, Russia positioned itself between Iran and Israel, using its S-400 missile system to control the skies and leveraging that control to extract deference from both sides.
—Joseph Epstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The case has sparked a broader conversation about the military’s use of artificial intelligence in weapons systems and the level of deference AI companies should give to the government in how their technology is used.
—Mike Brest, The Washington Examiner, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deference
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Apr. 2026
In spite of a seismic crossing of the technological Rubicon, an abandonment of the centuries-old deference to the naked eye, a codifying and calcifying of the most atomic-level building block of the sport, baseball mostly just looked like baseball.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
In Syria, Russia positioned itself between Iran and Israel, using its S-400 missile system to control the skies and leveraging that control to extract deference from both sides.
—Joseph Epstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The case has sparked a broader conversation about the military’s use of artificial intelligence in weapons systems and the level of deference AI companies should give to the government in how their technology is used.
—Mike Brest, The Washington Examiner, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deference
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deference
Noun
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As a child performing with his brothers at the family home in Gary, Indiana, young Michael (Juliano Krue Valdi) is beaten by his father, Joe (Colman Domingo), who demands obedience along with musical discipline.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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As firefighter after firefighter testified about their actions during the Lachman fire, a clear theme emerged — the Los Angeles Fire Department’s culture of absolute obedience.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But as the sexist and racist nature of the MAGA machine has gained mainstream acquiescence if not acceptance, the need to keep up the appearance of diversity is less and less.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Moss’ dour expression, over-relied upon for silent exposition throughout six seasons, conveys terror in the here and now, as well as for a future where fear is replaced by acquiescence.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
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In Killers of the Flower Moon, his Ernest Burkhart starts off as a mopey, weak-minded World War One veteran, eager to do anything for his godfather uncle (Robert De Niro), but there’s still a certain likability to his dim-bulb submissiveness.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deference.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deference. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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