respect
a particular, detail, or point (usually preceded by in): to differ in some respect.
relation or reference: inquiries with respect to a route.
esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability: I have great respect for her judgment.
deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment: respect for a suspect's right to counsel; to show respect for the flag; respect for the elderly.
the condition of being esteemed or honored: to be held in respect.
respects, a formal expression or gesture of greeting, esteem, or friendship: Give my respects to your parents.
favor or partiality.
Archaic. a consideration.
to hold in esteem or honor: I cannot respect a cheat.
to show regard or consideration for: to respect someone's rights.
to refrain from intruding upon or interfering with: to respect a person's privacy.
to relate or have reference to.
Idioms about respect
in respect of, in reference to; in regard to; concerning.
in respect that, Archaic. because of; since.
pay one's respects,
to visit in order to welcome, greet, etc.: We paid our respects to the new neighbors.
to express one's sympathy, especially to survivors following a death: We paid our respects to the family.
with respect to, referring to; concerning: with respect to your latest request.
Origin of respect
1synonym study For respect
word story For respect
The meaning “esteem for a person, thing, or quality” first appeared in 1526; the corresponding verb meaning “to hold in esteem” is first recorded in 1583. The prepositional phrase with respect to “referring to; concerning” dates to the mid-16th century. The plural noun respects “a formal expression or gesture of greeting, esteem, or friendship” dates to the first half of the 17th century; the phrase to pay one’s respects “to make a visit in order to welcome, greet, etc., or to express one's sympathy, especially after a death” dates to the middle of the 17th century.
Other words for respect
1 | regard, feature, matter |
2 | regard, connection |
3 | estimation, reverence, homage, honor |
7 | bias, preference |
9 | revere, venerate, consider, admire |
10 | heed |
Other words from respect
- qua·si-re·spect·ed, adjective
- un·der·re·spect·ed, adjective
- un·re·spect·ed, adjective
- well-re·spect·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use respect in a sentence
In that respect, Heule’s top asset might not be his skill with a SAT solver.
Computer Scientists Attempt to Corner the Collatz Conjecture | Kevin Hartnett | August 26, 2020 | Quanta MagazineGoogle has extended the functionality of its related activity cards with respect to shopping, job and recipe-related searches, the company announced Tuesday.
Google’s new features for product, job and recipe activity cards usher users along their journey | George Nguyen | August 18, 2020 | Search Engine LandWhile gene therapy may not literally take genes from one individual and insert them in another, in many respects it is entirely equivalent to doing just that.
How Life Could Continue to Evolve - Issue 88: Love & Sex | Caleb Scharf | August 12, 2020 | NautilusAt a certain point, I think we need to ask ourselves when we begin giving the party the respect of actually dealing with it as it is.
Will Covid-19 Spark a Cold War (or Worse) With China? (Ep. 414) | Stephen J. Dubner | April 23, 2020 | FreakonomicsWhen I realized I was in such a small minority, that’s when I really did respect that it was very difficult to make it to that high of a rank.
Lack of diversity in his field has troubled this mathematician | Esther Landhuis | April 14, 2020 | Science News For Students
As the director of Freedom Now, I hold Intigam Aliyev in high esteem and have long respected his work as a human-rights lawyer.
Behind Bars for the Holidays: 11 Political Prisoners We Want to See Free In 2015 | Movements.Org | December 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThese photographers are respected, indeed, but that is not in and of itself enough to provide insight about the city.
Certain trades, such as medicine or law, are eternally well-respected.
Renaissance Man Jared Leto Defies Categorization | The Daily Beast | December 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTObviously, there are well-respected artists whose work is largely unsalable.
Sneer and Clothing in Miami: Inside The $3 Billion Woodstock of Contemporary Art | Jay Michaelson | December 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThat is something all its previous owners and publishers understood and respected.
Facebook Prince Purges The New Republic: Inside the Destruction of a 100-Year-Old Magazine | Lloyd Grove | December 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTLawrence Hyde, earl of Rochester, died; deservedly respected as an able statesman.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel MunsellHe was an active and valiant prince, who made himself respected by the powers of Europe.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel MunsellHe respected her courage and obvious power to rise above the personal attitude of her sex.
Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonDeeply as they disapproved of his politics, they respected his independence and were inordinately proud of him.
Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonHe who keeps up such entertainment longest and kills most of the said animals is most respected.
British Dictionary definitions for respect
/ (rɪˈspɛkt) /
an attitude of deference, admiration, or esteem; regard
the state of being honoured or esteemed
a detail, point, or characteristic; particular: he differs in some respects from his son
reference or relation (esp in the phrases in respect of, with respect to)
polite or kind regard; consideration: respect for people's feelings
(often plural) an expression of esteem or regard (esp in the phrase pay one's respects)
to have an attitude of esteem towards; show or have respect for: to respect one's elders
to pay proper attention to; not violate: to respect Swiss neutrality
to show consideration for; treat courteously or kindly
archaic to concern or refer to
Origin of respect
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with respect
see in regard (respect) to; pay a call (one's respects); with all due respect.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Browse