refer to

phrasal verb

referred to; referring to; refers to

: 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.

: 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.

: 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 Kallie said through Clark, referring to their other two children. —

Christina Coulter, Fox News, 23 May 2024 Commander Michael McGinnis said Cole’s comment was referring to a recent vacation the protester took to Mexico. —

Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for refer to

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