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
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
Judge Ben Land dissented from the other two judges on the panel, suggesting the appeals court should defer to the trial judge’s findings instead of interfering with their discretions.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 19 Dec. 2024
The choice of state chair is technically up to a vote of the Democratic State Central Committee, but the committee typically defers to the choice of a governor when Democrats hold the office.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 28 Nov. 2024
Roughly six in 10 influencers deferred to their own personal experiences as a source of information, while nearly 40% used their own research and interviews with knowledgeable sources.
—Liam Reilly, CNN, 26 Nov. 2024
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David Rosowsky, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
Judge Ben Land dissented from the other two judges on the panel, suggesting the appeals court should defer to the trial judge’s findings instead of interfering with their discretions.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 19 Dec. 2024
The choice of state chair is technically up to a vote of the Democratic State Central Committee, but the committee typically defers to the choice of a governor when Democrats hold the office.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 28 Nov. 2024
Roughly six in 10 influencers deferred to their own personal experiences as a source of information, while nearly 40% used their own research and interviews with knowledgeable sources.
—Liam Reilly, CNN, 26 Nov. 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 6 Jan. 2025.
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