as in umpire
a person who impartially decides or resolves a dispute or controversy
served as the unofficial referee in disputes over the family business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to decide
to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)
their father usually ends up refereeing any disputes concerning use of the big TV
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of referee
Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2025
In the 20th minute, the referee stopped the action during a Current corner kick to review a potential handball.
—Fernando Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
It has not yet been made clear if Kahler will referee the match.
—Natasha Dye, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for referee
Noun
Ripley would later face Sky in a match with Belair as the guest referee.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2025
In the 20th minute, the referee stopped the action during a Current corner kick to review a potential handball.
—Fernando Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
The National Guard Bureau in Arlington, Va., which referees appeals between state Guard units and troops, serves largely in an advisory role.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
It has not yet been made clear if Kahler will referee the match.
—Natasha Dye, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for referee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referee
Noun
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But when umpires came back with their response, the call on the field stood as a foul ball.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2025
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Both Durbin, 25, and the umpire made the call and Milwaukee Brewers fans went wild.—
Chuck Murr,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Rudd agrees and, delighted by the experience, returns the favor for Samberg, who decides to don only a T-shirt for his portrait.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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The courts have issued several orders that the Trump administration has ignored, and the courts must decide what to do about it.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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That suit started in the same federal district court in Texas that first heard the latest challenge, which critics say shows opponents of Obamacare were looking for a friendly judge.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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The Google hearing on Monday comes after a U.S. District Court judge in Virginia ruled against the company in another major case, saying the company illegally maintained a monopoly in some online advertising technology.—
John Ruwitch,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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For all the chaos and strife of the tariffs in the opening act of his second term, Trump’s U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade deal, which went into effect in 2020, and his negotiations with China during his first term indicate some ability not just to pick economic fights but to try to settle them.—
Jennifer M. Harris,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
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Lindblad also lost steam, settling for par on every hole after the 11th.—
Benjamin Royer,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Transparent pricing: Rates are determined based on calculations that consider real factors—from driving experience and vehicle type to business location.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
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The Color of the Year is determined by a range of industries, trends, and data (more on that below), and Miller says it is meant to build excitement and connect interiors with the creativity, artistry, and glamour in other industries, like fashion.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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With their unique complexities, City Attorney Pete Schulte said, domestic violence cases take four times as long to adjudicate than other misdemeanor violations.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2025
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Nor were established procedures for adjudicating such a failure followed; the government didn’t even deign to give the appearance of doing so.—
Michael S. Roth,
Time,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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If hip-hop is viewed as a cultural inheritance, then its value – and what’s considered historically important – may be better arbitrated by people in the culture, not outside forces.—
A.D. Carson,
The Conversation,
7 Apr. 2025
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Our borders, if not strictly arbitrary, were certainly arbitrated by outsiders during colonialism, and fixed on the map only six decades ago.—
Namwali Serpell,
The New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Referee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referee. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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