defer to
phrasal 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
In an email to PEOPLE on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which oversees Reagan National Airport, deferred to the FAA and the airlines for comment about Saturday’s incidents.
—
David Chiu, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
Jagger said Dylan deferred to someone younger, leading to the appearance of the Rolling Stones frontman.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Mar. 2025
The governor’s office deferred to CUNY for comment on the protest, but confirmed the job listing has been removed from their website.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
Prior to the order, according to New Hampshire Public Radio, the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association deferred to athletes and their districts on their eligibility.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defer to
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
David Chiu, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
Jagger said Dylan deferred to someone younger, leading to the appearance of the Rolling Stones frontman.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Mar. 2025
The governor’s office deferred to CUNY for comment on the protest, but confirmed the job listing has been removed from their website.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
Prior to the order, according to New Hampshire Public Radio, the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association deferred to athletes and their districts on their eligibility.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 21 Feb. 2025
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 18 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share