Deference

medium

DEF-er-ens

noun

Definition

Humble submission and respect

Examples

In deference to her wishes, they postponed the meeting.
Junior staff showed deference to senior management.

Synonyms

respectreverenceregardsubmission

Antonyms

disrespectdefianceinsolencecontempt

Categories

GRE Tip

Deference is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "respect" or "reverence" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "disrespect".

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