respect

1 of 2

noun

re·​spect ri-ˈspekt How to pronounce respect (audio)
1
: a relation or reference to a particular thing or situation
remarks having respect to an earlier plan
2
: an act of giving particular attention : consideration
3
a
: high or special regard : esteem
b
: the quality or state of being esteemed
c
respects plural : expressions of high or special regard or deference
paid our respects
4
: particular, detail
a good plan in some respects

respect

2 of 2

verb

re·​spect ri-ˈspekt How to pronounce respect (audio)
respected; respecting; respects

transitive verb

1
a
: to consider worthy of high regard : esteem
b
: to refrain from interfering with
please respect their privacy
2
: to have reference to : concern
respecter noun
Phrases
in respect of
chiefly British : with respect to : concerning
in respect to
: with respect to : concerning
with respect to
: with reference to : in relation to
Choose the Right Synonym for respect

regard, respect, esteem, admire mean to recognize the worth of a person or thing.

regard is a general term that is usually qualified.

he is highly regarded in the profession

respect implies a considered evaluation or estimation.

after many years they came to respect her views

esteem implies greater warmth of feeling accompanying a high valuation.

no citizen of the town was more highly esteemed

admire suggests usually enthusiastic appreciation and often deep affection.

a friend that I truly admire

Examples of respect in a Sentence

Noun The earth's crust floats over a core of molten rock and some of its parts have a tendency to move with respect to one another. Mario Salvadori, Why Buildings Stand Up, 1990
Anyway any honor sent through the mail and cashable is about the only kind I got any great respect for … Flannery O'Connor, The Habit of Being, 1979
Our ragged hero wasn't a model boy in all respects. I am afraid he swore sometimes, and now and then he played tricks upon unsophisticated boys from the country, or gave a wrong direction to honest old gentlemen unused to the city. Horatio Alger, Ragged Dick, 1868
The Cat only grinned when it saw Alice. It looked good-natured, she thought: still it had VERY long claws and a great many teeth, so she felt that it ought to be treated with respect. Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 1865
He has earned their respect. The soldier saluted as a sign of respect. Despite our differences, I have enormous respect for him. I have a great respect for his accomplishments. I expect to be treated with respect. Your theory makes sense in one respect. Verb Many other critics respect her work, but marginalize her as "the best Polish woman artist" or "the best woman artist of Eastern Europe." Andrew Solomon, New York Times Book Review, 21 Aug. 1994
He had a weak point—this Fortunato—although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado, 1846
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof … The Constitiution of the United States of America
The students respect the principal for his honesty. I respect what she has accomplished. You must learn to respect other people's property. We need to respect the environment.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Travis is very supportive of Landon Landon and Travis have a close relationship and both respect and support each. Jessica Booth, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024 Russian President Vladimir Putin turned out to pay his respects to the deceased, lighting a candle in a church at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow. Sophie Tanno, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024 The deals generally follow the pattern set by the TV/Theatrical agreement in other respects, with 7% increases in scale wages retroactive to July 1, followed by increases of 4% and 3.5% in the subsequent years of the contract. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 23 Mar. 2024 The funeral follows four days of public tributes in Montreal and Ottawa during which political dignitaries and members of the public filed by Mulroney’s casket and paid their respects to his wife and four children. Rob Gillies, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2024 Instead of nerves over school shootings or racial microaggressions, the adults are soaking up what feels to them like a culture that sees children as full citizens who deserve love and respect from the entire community. Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Mar. 2024 Johnson, who had met with Michele in Rome shortly before these photos were taken, seemed to be paying her respects to the designer with her outfit choice. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2024 Some said Hong Kong provided better pay and career opportunities, as well as better schools, greater freedom, and greater respect for women and people who are L.G.B.T.Q. The wave of working professionals is a welcome development for Hong Kong. Joy Dong, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 But a new government would offer Palestinians a chance to build new, better structures and restore trust in their leadership and the respect of the world. Raja Khalidi, Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar. 2024
Verb
While many of them respect Huffman and love Reddit, these sources question the company’s capacity to satisfy the lofty expectations for sales and user growth that Wall Street has imposed on recent tech IPOs. Paresh Dave, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024 While the chemistry experiment with Ryan Johansen shattered beakers, Nichushkin is respected because of his dedication. Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 13 Mar. 2024 Be thoughtful to other people and respect other people. Gerrad Hall, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024 Tumi Golf Divot Tool $125 Everyone needs a divot tool to respect the turf and be ready for anything on the course. Red Fabbri, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2024 There has been much on social media but the Princess has a right to privacy and asks the public to respect that. Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 And inclusion is respecting everyone’s voice and creating a culture where people from all backgrounds feel encouraged to express their ideas and perspectives. Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 Other comments echoed those remarks, asking Moore to respect Miyazaki’s work. Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2024 But the move was unpopular with rank-and-file soldiers, many of whom respected Zaluzhny. Siobhán O'Grady, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'respect.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Latin respectus, literally, act of looking back, from respicere to look back, regard, from re- + specere to look — more at spy

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of respect was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near respect

Cite this Entry

“Respect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/respect. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

respect

1 of 2 noun
re·​spect ri-ˈspekt How to pronounce respect (audio)
1
: relation to or concern with something specified : reference
with respect to your last letter
2
a
: high or special regard : esteem
b
plural : expressions of regard or courtesy
pay my respects to your family
3
: detail entry 1 sense 1b
perfect in all respects

respect

2 of 2 verb
1
: to consider worthy of high regard : esteem
2
: to avoid interfering with
respected their wishes
respecter noun

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