deferential
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.
Administrators are typically deferential to their own superiors, with whom they often identify.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
"The tech industry has been given deferential treatment - I think we're seeing that start to change."
From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026
"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 • Jan. 12, 2026
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.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026
The youngest children tug his sleeves; the older ones are deferential.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Vocabulary lists containing deferential
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