noun
- A courteous expression (by word or deed) of esteem or regard.
- usage: "his deference to her wishes was very flattering"; "be sure to give my respects to the dean"
- synonyms: respect
- Courteous regard for people's feelings.
- usage: "in deference to your wishes"; "out of respect for his privacy"
- synonyms: respect, respectfulness
- A disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others.
- synonyms: complaisance, compliance, compliancy, obligingness
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
| APA | WordNet. (2010). deference. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/deference/definitions/1193920 |
| Chicago | WordNet. 2010. "deference" http://smartdefine.org/deference/definitions/1193920 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | WordNet 2010, deference, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/deference/definitions/1193920>. |
| MLA | WordNet. "deference" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/deference/definitions/1193920> |