defer to
phrasal verb
deferred to; deferring to; defers to
1
: to allow (someone else) to decide or choose something
You have more experience with this, so I'm going to defer to you.
deferring to the experts
2
defer to (something)
: to agree to follow (someone else's decision, a tradition, etc.)
The court defers to precedent in cases like these.
He deferred to his parents' wishes.
Examples of defer to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Both times Biden was dissuaded by Democratic leaders from seeking the presidency, deferring to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and then passing the baton to Harris this year, Trump won the White House.
—
W. James Antle Iii, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 30 Dec. 2024
After the Realpolitik relativism of the Vietnam and the Nixon eras, Carter committed himself to diplomacy, deferred to international norms and elevated human rights into a priority of American foreign policy.
—Jane Harman, TIME, 30 Dec. 2024
Sales have been a necessity and, where money has been spent, payments have often been deferred to aid cash flow.
—Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
Another reason is the tendency for colleges and universities to place more emphasis on their history and legacy across generations, and at times an arrogant insistence that the future must defer to them.
—David Rosowsky, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
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W. James Antle Iii, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 30 Dec. 2024
After the Realpolitik relativism of the Vietnam and the Nixon eras, Carter committed himself to diplomacy, deferred to international norms and elevated human rights into a priority of American foreign policy.
—Jane Harman, TIME, 30 Dec. 2024
Sales have been a necessity and, where money has been spent, payments have often been deferred to aid cash flow.
—Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
Another reason is the tendency for colleges and universities to place more emphasis on their history and legacy across generations, and at times an arrogant insistence that the future must defer to them.
—David Rosowsky, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defer to
Dictionary Entries Near defer to
Cite this Entry
“Defer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defer%20to. Accessed 7 Jan. 2025.
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