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.

"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

So the collaborative feel of “Mr. Scorsese,” which often tips toward the deferential, is not surprising.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2025

They don’t see any hierarchical gap between themselves and the pilots in the air, and to them, mitigated speech from a pilot doesn’t mean the speaker is being appropriately deferential to a superior.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell