as in deferent
marked by or showing proper regard for another's higher status
the children were remarkably respectful while in the president's office
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of respectful
While ultras groups at the club level in other countries can be known for violent scenes, that doesn’t happen in Japan’s J-League, as the respectful and fun vibe from the national supporters has trickled down.
—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
At times, Richie can be defiant and at other times respectful, depending on the circumstances, deepening his innate affinity with the archer.
—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
25 June 2026
Front desk staff say genuine kindness and respectful interaction are important when making any kind of requests.
—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
25 June 2026
What an emotionally intelligent dad looks like, what a respectful dad looks like.
—
Christian Dashiell Published,
Parents,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for respectful
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
At times, Richie can be defiant and at other times respectful, depending on the circumstances, deepening his innate affinity with the archer.
—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
25 June 2026
Front desk staff say genuine kindness and respectful interaction are important when making any kind of requests.
—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
25 June 2026
What an emotionally intelligent dad looks like, what a respectful dad looks like.
—
Christian Dashiell Published,
Parents,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for respectful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for respectful
Adjective
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And many advocates are promoting a vision of public health that’s less dependent on mandates and appeals to authority, and more deferent to individuals’ beliefs.
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The Ptolemaic model depicted planets moving around Earth in a big circle, known as a deferent, then going around a smaller circle while retrograding, called an epicycle.
Adjective
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The result is a chain of polite, yet simultaneously radical buildings with an exciting contour resembling a mountainous landscape – adding ‘bergen’ in De Bergen!
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Then, when regular channels deny your claim, send a polite, concise email to the company’s executives.
Adjective
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It’s taken me a long time to kind of let go of being deferential, that someone else knows better.
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Courts generally provide a highly deferential review to private associations in their application of rules, especially those empowered by a CBA.
Adjective
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Not a hushed and reverent scene at all, lively and fun.
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This is a lovely, if rather decorous and reverent, tale of an illicit affair that’s unlikely to cause as much noise as Dhont’s last two films.
Cite this Entry
“Respectful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respectful. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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