as in respectful
marked by or showing proper regard for another's higher status
the man had the deferential attitude of someone who had been a servant his entire life
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Recent Examples of deferential
Pritchard describes a relaxed, collegial creative process – one by two legends who, if anything, might have been too deferential.
—
Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 7 May 2025
Many officers also think the country has become too deferential to the armed services for its own good.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 26 Apr. 2025
Alston is significant because as Justice Neil Gorsuch clarified in the majority opinion, the NCAA is not owed a deferential standard of review on antitrust claims.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 24 Feb. 2025
As with his new podcast, Mr. Newsom was deferential, in awe of the ideas explained by his guest.
—Laurel Rosenhall, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deferential
Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 7 May 2025
Many officers also think the country has become too deferential to the armed services for its own good.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 26 Apr. 2025
Alston is significant because as Justice Neil Gorsuch clarified in the majority opinion, the NCAA is not owed a deferential standard of review on antitrust claims.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 24 Feb. 2025
As with his new podcast, Mr. Newsom was deferential, in awe of the ideas explained by his guest.
—Laurel Rosenhall, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deferential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deferential
Adjective
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The call started as expected – respectful and professional on both sides.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
7 June 2025
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His cultural instinct to retreat into respectful silence was misread by headquarters as weakness, nearly derailing his career trajectory.—
Katrina Burrus,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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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 Nov. 2024
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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,
19 Apr. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Deferential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deferential. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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