Vocabulary in context
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Deference
The act of submitting to the opinions or wishes of another; respectful yielding.
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Imagine This
You may have a different opinion than your boss, but at the end you follow his suggestions; you must submit out of respect for him.
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Sounds Like
difference
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Looks Like
defer ence; resembles the verb 'defer' (to yield) + the noun-forming suffix '-ence'
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Remember This
Remember that 'defer' means to yield or submit; '-ence' turns a verb into a noun describing a state or quality. Deference is a formal, respectful yielding to someone else's judgment.
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Other Forms
deferverb
deferentialadjective
deferentiallyadverb
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Connect With
respect, reverence, obedience, submission, compliance
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Note
Do not confuse with deferral (postponement). Deference refers to respect and yielding in opinion or judgment, whereas deferral means delaying something. Deference is often used in formal or social contexts to describe respectful submission.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The youngest member showed deference to the seasoned CEO by listening intently during the meeting.
- Out of deference to the committee's decision, she accepted the ruling without protest.
Synonyms
reverencerespectregardsubmissionobeisance
Antonyms
defianceinsubordinationdisrespect
Etymology
From Middle English deference, Old French deference, and Latin defferre/ dēferre meaning to carry down or to yield; the suffix '-ence' forms a noun indicating a state or quality.
Mnemonic
DEFER + ENCE: remember that to defer is to yield, and adding the noun-ending '-ence' gives the state of yielding—deference. Imagine handing your own opinion over to someone you respect.
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Critic
nounA person who judges the merits and faults of something, such as a work of art, performance, or writing; someone who habitually expresses critical opinions about others' work.
Defer
verbTo postpone or delay something; or to yield to someone else's judgment or authority.
Intricate
adjectiveVery complicated or detailed; having many interrelated parts.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).
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