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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of referee
Ian Miller Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
3 July 2026
Mandatory three-minute hydration breaks midway through each half are to protect players, and referees, from extreme heat illness.
—
ABC News,
3 July 2026
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
What would have been the first Somalian to referee at the World Cup was turned away at the Miami airport despite having a valid visa.
—
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for referee
Noun
Andy Davies, a referee who worked in the Premier League and Championship and was a Select Group referee for over 12 seasons, published a short analysis of the VAR process on this play for ESPN, saying that the review should never have taken place.
—
Ian Miller Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
3 July 2026
Mandatory three-minute hydration breaks midway through each half are to protect players, and referees, from extreme heat illness.
—
ABC News,
3 July 2026
Verb
Penso is only the second woman to referee a men’s World Cup match, and the first since 2022.
—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
What would have been the first Somalian to referee at the World Cup was turned away at the Miami airport despite having a valid visa.
—
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for referee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referee
Noun
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On Monday night, Contreras was ejected in the second inning after a check-swing strikeout prompted him to give a sarcastic ABS challenge gesture at the umpire, earning an instant boot.
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First base umpire Nic Lentz ejected him in the second inning after Lentz ruled Contreras failed to check his swing on a Miles Mikolas pitch that ended up being a strikeout.
Verb
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Both Swift and Kelce decided to forgo bridesmaids and groomsmen, per a statement shared with People.
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Later, Swift revealed that she was charmed by Kelce’s willingness to court her so publicly and decided to give him a chance.
Noun
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Over three days in the downtown courtroom in June, a Times reporter observed how many immigrants were funneled into the courtroom in groups, and the judge rarely addressed them directly, typically calling up around five cases at a time.
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Prior to the trial beginning, the judge agreed that questions about Brown’s felony conviction for his 2009 assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna would be barred from testimony.
Verb
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Delta has denied these allegations and settled Nejat’s lawsuit last year.
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The company agreed to settle the case without admitting liability.
Verb
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Readiness is an ongoing practice, not a declaration, determined by daily interactions and the safety to be candid.
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Investigators later determined the teen had distant family members in Colorado.
Verb
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After Coroner Scott Sayers denied the request, Sherwood successfully appealed to the Office of Open Records, or OOR, a state agency responsible for adjudicating Right-To-Know Law disputes.
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Rather than adjudicating guilt, the filmmakers opted to leave the question of truth open to viewers.
Verb
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In response to the lawsuit, the NFL and teams sought to compel arbitration based on the coaches' employment contracts and a provision of the NFL Constitution that gives the NFL commissioner, Goodell, authority to arbitrate disputes between coaches and member clubs.
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Their contracts require them to confidentially arbitrate with the commissioner (or his designee) as the arbitrator.
Cite this Entry
“Referee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referee. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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