deferentially

in a manner showing no signs of pride or self-assertion behaved deferentially when approaching someone in authority Synonyms abjectly, lowly, hat in hand, humbly, meanly, meekly, modestly, sheepishly, submissivelyRelated Words obsequiously, servilely, subserviently; fearfully, mousily, timidly; bashfully, diffidently, self-deprecatingly, shyly, timorously; civilly, courteously, politely, respectfully, suppliantlyNear Antonyms fearlessly; discourteously, disdainfully, disrespectfully, impertinently, rashly, recklessly, saucily; bitchily, impolitely, impudently, rudely, uncivilly, ungraciouslyAntonyms arrogantly, audaciously, boldly, brashly, brazenly, contemptuously, haughtily, huffily, imperiously, loftily, pompously, presumptuously, pretentiously, pridefully, proudly, scornfully, self-importantly, superciliously, swaggeringly, uppishly