Deference: Definition & Meaning for the SAT
⚡️ DEFERENCE most nearly means: (A) defiance; (B) difference; (C) indifference; (D) respect. 👉 Answer + examples, pronunciation, and full SAT explanation inside.
⚡️ DEFERENCE most nearly means: (A) defiance; (B) difference; (C) indifference; (D) respect. 👉 Answer + examples, pronunciation, and full SAT explanation inside.
TL;DR: Deference means respectful submission or yielding to someone else. This word is pretty easy to remember if you know the verb form, DEFER, as in to defer to someone.
ℹ️ Part of Speech of Deference
deference is a NOUN.
🗣️ Pronunciation of Deference
deference is pronounced /ˈdef.ər.əns/ or DEF-er-uhns.
📚️ Definition of Deference
Respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, or wishes of another person, especially someone in authority or with greater experience. Example: showing deference to elders or superiors.
📰 Examples of Deference
Here are some examples of the word deference:
In deference to her mentor's expertise, Sara decided to take her social media accounts more seriously and spruce them up a little.
The defendant showed proper deference to the judge by standing whenever she entered or left the courtroom.
✅ Quiz answer
Answer to the question above:
D, respect. Explanations: A is the opposite—defiance means bold resistance, not respectful yielding. B doesn't work; difference looks similar, but it's not a synonym. C is incorrect; indifference means lack of interest or concern, which is unrelated to showing respect.