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Term

deference n

Deference means respectful yielding to another's wishes or judgment. Explore the term's definition, IPA/phonetic pronunciation, and usage examples.

Definition of deference

  • respectful yielding to another's wishes or judgment

Usage examples of deference

Out of deference to her grandmother, she lowered the music and spoke more softly.

The junior doctor showed deference to the specialist by listening carefully before offering a different view.

The committee gave some deference to the expert’s judgment because she had studied the issue for decades.

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