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
Certainly, Kahan had faith in Simmons’ guidance, which led to signing with a major label and building his fanbase, but Simmons also deferred to his client on matters of artistry.
—
Shirley Halperin,
Rolling Stone,
2 July 2026
When reached for comment, a Walmart spokesperson deferred to local law enforcement regarding the incident.
—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
2 July 2026
There is a ghost in your board meetings, and everyone in the room defers to it.
—
Kyle Westaway,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
But if it was planned work that can be deferred to a different day, so that work group doesn't have to be in those seats.
—
Tara Lynch,
CBS News,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defer to
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Shirley Halperin,
Rolling Stone,
2 July 2026
When reached for comment, a Walmart spokesperson deferred to local law enforcement regarding the incident.
—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
2 July 2026
There is a ghost in your board meetings, and everyone in the room defers to it.
—
Kyle Westaway,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
But if it was planned work that can be deferred to a different day, so that work group doesn't have to be in those seats.
—
Tara Lynch,
CBS News,
30 June 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 6 Jul. 2026.
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