Defer
/dɪˈfɜːr/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo postpone or delay an action, event, or decision.
/dɪˈfɜːr/
To postpone or put off an action or event to a later time.
The university asked the students to defer their admission to the following year.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're supposed to go to a party, but you're feeling tired. To defer means to say, 'I'll go later!' and put it off until you feel more up to it.
👶 For kids: To wait to do something until later.
More Examples
We decided to defer the project until after the holidays.
She deferred her payment until she received her paycheck.
How It's Used
"The meeting was deferred until next week due to scheduling conflicts."
"I decided to defer my decision until I had more information."
To yield to the opinion or wishes of another; to show respect.
/dɪˈfɜːr/
To submit to or yield to the opinion or wishes of another.
The intern deferred to the supervisor's instructions.
💡 Simply: When you defer to someone, it's like saying, 'You're the boss!' You're listening to what they want and doing it.
👶 For kids: To let someone else decide or do something because you respect them.
More Examples
The team deferred to the coach's strategy during the game.
She always defers to her elders' advice.
How It's Used
"The younger employee deferred to his senior colleague's experience."
"The court deferred to the expert's testimony on the matter."
Idioms & expressions
defer to
To submit to the authority, opinion, or judgment of another.
"In matters of law, the court often defers to legal precedent."
From Latin *dēferre* meaning 'to carry down, bring, report, grant'. It evolved through Old French *déférer*.
The word has been used since the late 15th century, initially referring to postponement and later also to showing respect or yielding.
Memory tip
Think of "differ" - if you are going to differ from someone's opinion, you might defer, or wait, to say something.