as in respectful
marked by or showing proper regard for another's higher status
the man had the deferential attitude of someone who had been a servant his entire life
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Recent Examples of deferential
In so doing, the courts largely cast aside a century of jurisprudence in which courts were deferential to the Commissioners’ role as guardians of their leagues.
—
Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Meeting Trump again in the Oval Office after being ambushed by Trump and Vice President JD Vance in February, Zelenskyy was as deferential and grateful to the U.S. president as his more formal dress indicated.
—Ronald Suny, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2025
In the 1880s, John appeared destined for poetic glory and Constantine’s deferential posture tacitly accepted this outcome.
—Gregory Jusdanis, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Chief Justice Roberts 'wrong,' courts should be 'deferential' The Trump administration's mass deportation efforts have repeatedly hit legal challenges.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for deferential
Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Meeting Trump again in the Oval Office after being ambushed by Trump and Vice President JD Vance in February, Zelenskyy was as deferential and grateful to the U.S. president as his more formal dress indicated.
—Ronald Suny, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2025
In the 1880s, John appeared destined for poetic glory and Constantine’s deferential posture tacitly accepted this outcome.
—Gregory Jusdanis, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Chief Justice Roberts 'wrong,' courts should be 'deferential' The Trump administration's mass deportation efforts have repeatedly hit legal challenges.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for deferential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deferential
Adjective
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And 90% agree that new ways and words are needed to foster respectful dialogue and empathy.—
Brian Castrucci,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The alliance is part of a nationwide movement fostering respectful, cross-partisan dialogue for community members.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And many advocates are promoting a vision of public health that’s less dependent on mandates and appeals to authority, and more deferent to individuals’ beliefs.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
4 Aug. 2025
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The Ptolemaic model depicted planets moving around Earth in a big circle, known as a deferent, then going around a smaller circle while retrograding, called an epicycle.—
Carlie Procell,
USA TODAY,
25 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Deferential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deferential. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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