defer

¹

[ dih-fur ]

verb (used with object)

, de·ferred, de·fer·ring.

1. to put off (action, consideration, etc.) to a future time:

   The decision has been deferred by the board until next week.

2. to exempt temporarily from induction into military service.

verb (used without object)

, de·ferred, de·fer·ring.

1. to put off action; delay.

defer

²

[ dih-fur ]

verb (used without object)

, de·ferred, de·fer·ring.

1. to yield respectfully in judgment or opinion (usually followed by to ):

   We all defer to him in these matters.

   Synonyms: capitulate, acquiesce, submit, accede

verb (used with object)

, de·ferred, de·fer·ring.

1. to submit for decision; refer:

   We defer questions of this kind to the president.

defer

¹

/ dɪˈfɜː /

verb

1. intrfoll byto to yield (to) or comply (with) the wishes or judgments of another

   I defer to your superior knowledge

defer

²

/ dɪˈfɜː /

verb

1. tr to delay or cause to be delayed until a future time; postpone

Derived Forms

• deˈferrer, noun
• deˈferrable, adjective

Other Words From

• de·ferrer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of defer¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English deferen, differren “to delay”; defer ² differ

Origin of defer²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English deferren, from Latin dēferre “to carry from or down, report, accuse,” equivalent to dē- “from, away from, out of” + ferre “to carry”; de-, bear ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of defer¹

C15: from Latin dēferre, literally: to bear down, from de- + ferre to bear

Origin of defer²

C14: from Old French differer to be different, postpone; see differ

Synonym Study

Defer, delay, postpone imply keeping something from occurring until a future time. To defer is to decide to do something later on: to defer making a payment. To delay is sometimes equivalent to defer, but usually it is to act in a dilatory manner and thus lay something aside: to delay one's departure. To postpone a thing is to put it off to (usually) some particular time in the future, with the intention of beginning or resuming it then: to postpone an election. procrastinate.

Example Sentences

The choice to defer action on these rules has not only delayed the implementation in California, but in other states that have chosen to adhere to California’s more stringent climate rules instead of the federal government’s.

From Los Angeles Times

Van Zutphen recommends opting to defer some of your regular payments for your retirement.

From Salon

Shohei Ohtani suggested the Dodgers pay him only $2 million a year and defer the remainder of his annual $70-million salary.

From Los Angeles Times

Shohei Ohtani suggested the Dodgers pay him only $2 million a year and defer the remainder of his annual $70-million salary.

From Los Angeles Times

And in this silence, as Judge Guirola explained, courts must defer to the states, which hold primary authority under the Constitution to prescribe election procedures.

From Slate

Related Words

• adjourn
• delay
• extend
• hold up
• postpone
• prolong
• set aside
• shelve
• stall
• suspend
• waive