respectful

adjective

ri-ˈspekt-fəl How to pronounce respectful (audio)
Definition of respectfulnext
as in deferent
marked by or showing proper regard for another's higher status the children were remarkably respectful while in the president's office

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of respectful Show up prepared, respectful and often, and the vendor across the table will remember you. — Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2026 Currie said under new leadership, Ford has made significant progress and is committed to keeping this facility a safe and respectful workplace. — Jamie L. Lareau, Freep.com, 1 Sep. 2026 After a respectful interval and perhaps another sip of whiskey, the next teller narrates an even closer call. — Brian Laidlaw, Longreads, 1 Sep. 2026 However, cooler heads prevailed, with respectful interactions afterward, and Khabib Nurmagomedov even assisting Song. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for respectful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for respectful
  1. deferent
  2. polite
  3. deferential
  4. reverent
Adjective
  • 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 Feb. 2026
  • 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
Definition of deferent
Adjective
  • Don’t go looking for hushed tones, decorous silence or the other traditions of a sport whose roots exist on the hallowed lawns of polite society.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Perfection isn’t the goal, and being polite doesn’t mean being perfect.
    — Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of polite
Adjective
  • That could make life harder for the NCAA in court given that the organization has long argued for deferential treatment on the basis that college sports is a fundamentally different product than pro sports.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Carefully deferential to the star, Parton carved out a foothold for herself.
    — RJ Smith, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of deferential
Adjective
  • But the bigger issue is that Tenzing keeps its title character and his closest ally (to say nothing of all the smaller characters around them) at a reverent distance, rendering them in broad strokes rather than fine shading.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Around them, an aristocratic winemaker defines his legacy, a legendary maître d’hôtel seeks his heir, and a reverent wine critic pursues the sublime.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of reverent

Browse Nearby Words

respected
respectful
respectfully
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Cite this Entry

“Respectful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respectful. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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