How to Use ref in a Sentence

ref

noun
  • The refs are amazing and help the kids out in the games.
    — Gary Curreri, sun-sentinel.com, 27 June 2019
  • Pitkin found that without the boos, the refs got a bit of a breather.
    — Eric Niiler, Wired, 15 May 2020
  • The two refs in the booth can be doing their job just like the Refs on the field.
    — Paul Uhls, Cincinnati.com, 3 Jan. 2020
  • The refs are looking for sticks in hands, stuff like that.
    — Brad Elliott Schlossman, Twin Cities, 2 Feb. 2024
  • And if the ref don’t call a foul and you get hurt, that’s your problem.
    — Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2023
  • Wow, who would have thought that the refs would mess up so many calls?
    — oregonlive, 19 Sep. 2019
  • The ref and the judges and Watts, the ringside announcer, did not.
    — Joseph Goodman, al, 10 July 2022
  • The refs have a very tough job with how fast plays happen.
    — Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 21 June 2019
  • One of the only times Browns fans cheered the refs on Sunday.
    — Scott Patsko, cleveland, 14 Oct. 2019
  • The strategy is to foul so much that the refs can't call them all.
    — Sally Jenkins, chicagotribune.com, 6 June 2018
  • Coaches and a ref had to calm the Mountain View bench down.
    — Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 9 Feb. 2022
  • The ref let M’Baye Niang on, who lit the jets to touch it past, and that was that, the winning goal.
    — Tim Bannon, chicagotribune.com, 25 June 2018
  • The third model in the trio is a faithful re-edition of the 1964 edition of the ref.
    — Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 26 May 2023
  • Hoiberg raised one hand in the air to grab a ref's attention.
    — Jon Blau, Indianapolis Star, 12 Mar. 2020
  • The ref called for the bell when the others refused to leave the ring, giving the DQ win to Strowman and the Raiders.
    — Aaron Oster, baltimoresun.com, 7 Oct. 2019
  • The refs called a foul that could have resulted in a four-point play.
    — Michael Marot, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024
  • Instead, at the end, while the ref got the chair out of the ring, Owens low-blowed Shane, hit him with the Stunner, and got the pin.
    — Aaron Oster, baltimoresun.com, 12 Aug. 2019
  • At the end of the match, the ref would be distracted as Alexa Bliss and Kairi Sane fought on the outside.
    — Aaron Oster, baltimoresun.com, 7 Oct. 2019
  • Let’s keep it going, the refs are trying to do their best.
    — Houston Chronicle, 9 Dec. 2019
  • Finally, in the 116th minute, the ref blew the whistle to end it in Brisbane.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 3 Aug. 2023
  • For a crazed fan on the sidelines, there’s no ref to yell at when a player calls a foul.
    — Michael W. Miller, WSJ, 24 May 2018
  • The photo shows one ref and two players from each team.
    — Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 3 Feb. 2020
  • Cisneros held a narrow 4-3 lead before the ref called the match.
    — Jeffrey Perkins, San Antonio Express-News, 18 Feb. 2023
  • The message: with all due respect, ref, your eyes are wrong.
    — Joshua Robinson, WSJ, 6 July 2018
  • But that was more like the emotion of the shot, and this is a cool (bleep) ref.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
  • That was more like the emotion of the shot, and this is a cool [expletive] ref.
    — Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
  • But is failing to reach an agreement with the refs worth putting out a dishonorable product?
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The head ref failed to show up for my debut, so my career started as a co-head official with the other linesman.
    — Dianna Russini, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
  • After Buchbinder was helped off the ice by teammates, no penalties were called by the refs, which were met with a chorus of boos from fans.
    — Theodore Tollefson, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Golden and McCollum were seen yelling at each other while refs took a look at the foul.
    — Ryan Brennan march 25, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026

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

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