defer to
Present Participle
deferring to
Past Tense
deferred to
Past Participle
deferred to
1
to accept or agree to follow someone's decision, opinion, or authority, often out of respect or recognition of their expertise or position
transitive
- The team chose to defer to the senior researcher's expertise in designing the experiment.
- When deciding on the software to use, I will defer to your experience in the field.
- Students are expected to defer to the professor's guidelines for completing the assignment.
- She decided to defer to her parents' wishes and pursue a career in medicine, despite her initial interest in art.
- He chose to defer to his doctor's recommendation for the best course of treatment.
2
to refer to or rely on someone or something with more expertise, responsibility, or jurisdiction, typically to handle a matter
- During team discussions, members often defer to the project manager for direction and decision-making.
- In matters of international diplomacy, leaders often defer to the United Nations for resolutions to global conflicts.
- The board of directors deferred to the chief financial officer for guidance on budget allocations.
- She deferred to her grandfather's wisdom when making important family decisions.
3
to agree to uphold established customs, practices, or rituals, typically out of respect for their historical or cultural importance
- In matters of protocol, diplomats often defer to the customs of the host country.
- During ceremonies, the royal family always defers to ancient customs and protocols.
- In diplomatic meetings, it is customary to defer to the host country's cultural norms and etiquette.
- The university's graduation ceremony deferred to longstanding tradition by awarding honorary degrees to distinguished alumni.
- The museum curators decided to defer to historical accuracy when restoring the ancient artifacts.