deferential

adjective

def·​er·​en·​tial ˌde-fə-ˈren-chəl 

: showing or expressing respect and high regard due a superior or an elder : showing or expressing deference

listened with deferential attention to his grandfather

deferential to the judge's decision

deferentially

ˌde-fə-ˈren-chə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• deferent
• dutiful
• regardful
• respectful

Examples of deferential in a Sentence

the man had the deferential attitude of someone who had been a servant his entire life

Recent Examples on the Web

The Trump administration is likely to face legal challenges over the order, but the law that codifies the administration of the foreign service is fairly deferential to the secretary of state. —Will Steakin, ABC News, 12 Feb. 2025

People have occasionally challenged their inclusion on such lists, but courts have been broadly deferential to government claims of national security. —Byron Tau, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2025

Absent such a definition, courts historically have been quite deferential to a president’s determination that an emergency exists. —Elizabeth Goitein, TIME, 23 Jan. 2025

Just how deferential to Trump do voters want New York’s leaders to be? —Donna Lieberman, New York Daily News, 19 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

defer(ence) + -ential, by analogy with other Latin-derived words where the suffixes -ence and -ential imply one another (as prudence, prudential)

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

deferential

adjective

def·​er·​en·​tial ˌdef-ə-ˈren-chəl 

: showing or expressing deference

deferentially

-ˈrench-(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

deferential

adjective

def·​er·​en·​tial ˌdef-ə-ˈren-chəl 

: deferent