defer to
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
Major trade ideas are presented to the Arisons, who have generally deferred to Riley’s wishes.
—
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Florida’s lawmakers must stop deferring to corporate interests and start protecting the people who call these communities home.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
The first pitch of a game wouldn’t fall in that category, but Suzuki deferred to his hitter’s whims.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
When the body responsible for drawing the maps defers to another branch, the process is no longer independent.
—Dan Daley, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defer to
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Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Florida’s lawmakers must stop deferring to corporate interests and start protecting the people who call these communities home.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
The first pitch of a game wouldn’t fall in that category, but Suzuki deferred to his hitter’s whims.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
When the body responsible for drawing the maps defers to another branch, the process is no longer independent.
—Dan Daley, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defer to
Cite this Entry
“Defer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defer%20to. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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