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 Multichannel outreach only helps when it is controlled, respectful and aligned around one clear reason to engage. — Simon C. Lee, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 Civil disagreement doesn’t mean abandoning strong beliefs or backing down from a debate, but informed and respectful conviction. — Frederick J. Ryan, Fortune, 25 July 2026 That’s the movie’s term for the ancient Greek concept of xenia—the respectful relationship between host and guest—which can be tricky to explain to a modern audience. — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 24 July 2026 Zapier’s privacy policy is neither overly invasive nor especially respectful of your privacy. — Ruben Circelli, PC Magazine, 23 July 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
  • Being honest about your limits is more helpful than being polite.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • When speaking to a duo of polite British children on their Spider-Man press tour, Holland eggs Zendaya into doing her British accent.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 July 2026
Definition of polite
Adjective
  • Biden argued the administration had been too deferential to Wall Street and too cautious about confronting China over intellectual property theft.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 July 2026
  • To see a 17-year-old saying this in a culture like India, where the very young are sort of deferential, is remarkable.
    — Richard Hall, Time, 28 July 2026
Definition of deferential
Adjective
  • The Lost Boys gave us the chance to create something that feels reverent toward the film while still staking its own claim.
    — Shivani Vora, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • The wedding processional began with the majestic, resonant tones of the historic church organ, setting a reverent and grand atmosphere.
    — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 23 July 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 2 Aug. 2026.

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