deferential
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- deferentially adverb
- nondeferential adjective
- nondeferentially adverb
- overdeferential adjective
- overdeferentially adverb
- undeferential adjective
- undeferentially adverb
Etymology
Origin of deferential
1815–25; after deference, by analogy with such pairs as residence: residential
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"The tech industry has been given deferential treatment - I think we're seeing that start to change."
From BBC
"He was intensely serious but showed flashes of humour. He encouraged debate although his officers were deferential," Pike wrote in a 2019 book.
From Barron's
In general, the law is deferential to police, giving officers significant discretion to use force, making it difficult to hold them criminally or civilly liable.
Fully autonomous driving will worsen traffic conditions for a time, he argues, introducing cars that will be too deferential and unable to coordinate with other drivers.
Still, the justices have been deferential to presidential powers and the outcome is uncertain.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
