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
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Recent Examples of respectful
Nonetheless, a Digikala executive was briefly jailed, and others were summoned for respectful, but still threatening, meetings with the police.
—
Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
Being respectful – treats others with dignity, especially when giving feedback, and remains tolerant, civil, and constructive.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Days before Montgomery's season 8 exit, a message on the show's official Instagram page asked fans to be respectful to the Islanders while watching the new season.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 31 May 2026
What might an average citizen do to eliminate this toxicity and to insist on a higher, respectful level of political discussion?
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for respectful
Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
Being respectful – treats others with dignity, especially when giving feedback, and remains tolerant, civil, and constructive.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Days before Montgomery's season 8 exit, a message on the show's official Instagram page asked fans to be respectful to the Islanders while watching the new season.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 31 May 2026
What might an average citizen do to eliminate this toxicity and to insist on a higher, respectful level of political discussion?
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for respectful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for respectful
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
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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
Adjective
-
This week, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal, together with Representative Ro Khanna, sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth that reads less like a polite congressional inquiry and more like a prosecutorial brief.—
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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Off the pitch, Kvaratskhelia was generous, obsessed over his self-improvement, and unfailingly polite.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
The loser of an arbitration can petition a judge to vacate the arbitration decision, but judges are obligated to be deferential to arbitration decisions.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
26 May 2026
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Trump was notably out of character throughout his stay here, deferential to his host, marveling at displays of Chinese power and reticent to speak with the press.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
This is a lovely, if rather decorous and reverent, tale of an illicit affair that’s unlikely to cause as much noise as Dhont’s last two films.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
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Nonetheless, mathematicians remember him with reverent affection.—
Konstantin Kakaes,
Quanta Magazine,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Respectful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respectful. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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