refer to
verb
referred to; referring to; refers to
1
: to look at or in (something) for information
She often refers to her notes when giving a speech.
Please refer to our website for more information.
2
: to have a direct connection or relationship to (something)
The word "finch" refers to a kind of bird.
The numbers shown in the text refer to footnotes at the bottom of the page.
3
: to talk about or write about (someone or something) especially briefly : to mention (someone or something) in speech or in writing
No one referred to the incident.
Examples of refer to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The tip was referred to Child Protective Services, but nothing came of it.
—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
In his speech, Peterson referred to Michigan’s famous fight song The Victors.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Although drinking water could be a part of a wellness stack on its own, this trend refers to stacking your water with lots of add-ins to quickly get a bunch of health benefits in one go.
—Julia Landwehr, Health, 18 May 2026
What's referred to as the internet is actually another layer on top of the digital packet network.
—Laura Isensee, Scientific American, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for refer to
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
In his speech, Peterson referred to Michigan’s famous fight song The Victors.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Although drinking water could be a part of a wellness stack on its own, this trend refers to stacking your water with lots of add-ins to quickly get a bunch of health benefits in one go.
—Julia Landwehr, Health, 18 May 2026
What's referred to as the internet is actually another layer on top of the digital packet network.
—Laura Isensee, Scientific American, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for refer to
Cite this Entry
“Refer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refer%20to. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
