
Deferential
Respect for Authority
Use 'deferential' to show clear respect for someone with power or an important position, like a judge or elder.
When addressing the director, the committee used a deferential tone.
Politeness Matters
Being deferential is not just about respect, it's about politeness, which affects how you say something.
Her deferential reply to the professor showed she valued his opinion.
Not Always Positive
Sometimes 'deferential' can imply too much submission and thus be seen as a negative trait in certain contexts.
The employee's deferential behavior was viewed as a lack of confidence in his own ideas.
Compare with
AcquiescentAttentiveComplaisantDocileObedientRespectfulReverentialSubmissive
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