How to Use refer in a Sentence

refer

verb
  • Most of the patients we see here were referred by other doctors.
  • How can doctors refer patients for treatment without examining them first?
  • Palote refers here to a rolling pin.
    — Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The doctor will refer them to the lab.
    — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 6 Apr. 2026
  • What prompts them to refer business to you?
    — Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • If doubts appear, refer back to your long-term goals.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Sedgwick, in turn, has referred us back to the city.
    — Ginger Allen, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
  • The city referred us to the police.
    — Steve Maugeri, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
  • That is a nod to the stock’s fans who refer to themselves as apes.
    — Gunjan Banerji, WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022
  • Perhaps ka does not refer to the past, but rather to the future.
    — Rabbi Avi Weiss, sun-sentinel.com, 3 Jan. 2022
  • Words have to refer; writing has to be about something.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Founders refer other founders, and the same goes for other key hires.
    — Glenn Solomon, Forbes, 11 Nov. 2022
  • Barrett has the option to act alone or refer the matter to the full court.
    — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2023
  • Hall referred The Bee to the motel.
    — Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2026
  • Christ’s followers knew this could not refer to a man who was only a man.
    — WSJ, 28 Dec. 2021
  • Some at Facebook thought referring the ban to the board was too risky.
    — Bobby Ghosh, Time, 18 Jan. 2026
  • Roberts could act on the application alone or refer it to the full court for a vote.
    — Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024
  • In any case, Truss is on what the Brits refer to as a sticky wicket.
    — John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2022
  • The movie's title refers not to dinner but an offer made midevening.
    — ABC News, 24 June 2026
  • Your real voice builds a tribe of believers who buy from you, hire you, and refer you.
    — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • Once students leave some programs, their friends are not allowed to refer to them by name.
    — Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2021
  • So the trick was to not play up the comedy but to have that music refer back to who this guy is.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 16 June 2022
  • Bookmark it and refer back often.
    — Dan Shanoff, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
  • The department referred us back to the press release.
    — Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 19 June 2026
  • Hegseth’s office referred our questions to the Army.
    — Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
  • First of all, those who still refer to the old theory need to know it’s been debunked and adopt the new.
    — Liz Guthridge, Forbes, 21 June 2022
  • His office referred all questions back to the airport.
    — Nick Caloway, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Ask your doctor to refer you to some who are licensed and preferably older.
    — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 11 Oct. 2025
  • They weren't convinced and referred him to be disciplined.
    — Martin Kaste, NPR, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Sheeran was dared to shiver and refer to himself in the third person.
    — Andrea Towers, EW.com, 9 Nov. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'refer.' 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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