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Deferring: meaning, definitions and examples

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deferring

 

[ dɪˈfɜrɪŋ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

postponing action

Deferring refers to the act of putting off or delaying a decision, action, or event to a later time. It often involves the postponement of obligations or responsibilities until a future date.

Synonyms

delaying, postponing, suspending

Examples of usage

  • The meeting was deferred to next week.
  • She decided to defer her college admission for a year.
  • They are deferring the project until more resources are available.
Context #2 | Verb

yielding to opinion

Deferring can also mean yielding to the judgment or opinion of someone else. This usage typically implies respect for another's decision or expertise.

Synonyms

entrusting, submitting, yielding

Examples of usage

  • He deferred to his mentor's experience.
  • In uncertain situations, she often defers to her colleagues.
  • They decided to defer to the team's consensus.

Translations

Translations of the word "deferring" in other languages:

🇵🇹 adiando

🇮🇳 टालना

🇩🇪 verschieben

🇮🇩 menunda

🇺🇦 відкладення

🇵🇱 odraczanie

🇯🇵 延期する

🇫🇷 reporter

🇪🇸 diferir

🇹🇷 ertelemek

🇰🇷 연기하다

🇸🇦 تأجيل

🇨🇿 odložení

🇸🇰 odloženie

🇨🇳 推迟

🇸🇮 odložitev

🇮🇸 fresta

🇰🇿 құтқару

🇬🇪 გადავადება

🇦🇿 ertələmək

🇲🇽 diferir

Word origin

The word 'defer' comes from the Latin 'differre', which means 'to carry away' or 'to put off'. It is a combination of 'de-', meaning 'from', and 'ferre', meaning 'to carry'. The term evolved through Old French 'difference', meaning 'to differ or postpone', and was incorporated into Middle English in the form of 'deferen'. Initially used in legal contexts to denote the act of delaying a court decision, 'defer' expanded its usage into common vernacular to describe the act of postponing any kind of action or decision. Over time, it has adopted various nuances in meaning, including yielding to someone else's opinion or authority, highlighting both the postponement of duties and the respect for external judgment.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #21,475, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.