deference

Study(3)

UK /ˈdɛfəɹəns/ US /ˈdɛ.fɚ.əns/

noun 2

Collocations

(noun.)

ADJ

great

VERB + DEFERENCE

accord, show, treat sb with

The elderly professor expected his students to show deference during lectures, even when they disagreed with his ideas.

PREP

in/out of ~ to

The school decided to start classes later in deference to teenagers' sleep needs.

with ~

He treated his elderly grandmother with deference, always listening carefully to her opinions.

~ to, ~ towards

She showed great deference to her supervisor's decisions during the meeting.

Definitions

noun

Great respect.

The children treated their elders with deference.

The willingness to carry out the wishes of others.

By tidying his room, he showed deference to his mother.

Michael in turn benefits from Tom. He loosens up a bit, stops talking so much like one of the bad novels he used to read, and learns to give his intellect a rest once in a while in deference to the emotions.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — a courteous expression (by word or deed) of esteem or regard

respect

noun — a disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others

complaisance
compliance
compliancy
obligingness

noun — courteous regard for people's feelings

respect
respectfulness

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

Example Bank

The children treated their elders with deference.

Wiktionary

By tidying his room, he showed deference to his mother.

Wiktionary

Then I'll work on the principle that deference is no substitute for obedience.

Tatoeba · #756900

Although you are able to win, sometimes yield to a friend, since through deference, sweet friends are preserved.

Tatoeba · #5105509

If Tom senses even the slightest lack of obsequious deference, he explodes into a hail of random and spontaneous insults.

Tatoeba · #5379886

Usage Notes

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