Defer

/dɪˈfɜr/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to put off (action) to a future time; to postpone.

We have decided to defer the meeting until next week.

to yield respectfully in judgment or opinion to the wishes or decisions of another.

I will defer to your expertise on this matter.

to submit to another's wishes, opinion, or decision.

The committee chose to defer to the board for the final decision.

Middle English, from Latin 'differre', meaning 'to carry apart, delay' (dif- + ferre 'to carry').

defer to

To submit to the judgment or decision of another.

defer payment

To postpone the payment due.

defer action

To delay taking action on an issue.

deference

Respectful submission or yielding to the judgment of another.

deferment

The action of postponing or delaying something.

deferral

An act of delaying or postponing.

To push something off for later, often used in a casual context.

I'll just defer that assignment until tomorrow.