judge 1 of 2

1
as in referee
a person who impartially decides or resolves a dispute or controversy their father always played the role of judge when there was a disagreement between the siblings

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in court
a public official having authority to decide questions of law the judge gave the defendant a suspended sentence

Synonyms & Similar Words

judge

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to estimate
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement considering the amount of dough we have, I judge we'll get about six dozen cookies out of it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word judge distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of judge are conclude, deduce, gather, and infer. While all these words mean "to arrive at a mental conclusion," judge stresses a weighing of the evidence on which a conclusion is based.

judge people by their actions

When could conclude be used to replace judge?

The words conclude and judge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conclude implies arriving at a necessary inference at the end of a chain of reasoning.

concluded that only the accused could be guilty

How do deduce and infer relate to one another, in the sense of judge?

Deduce often adds to infer the special implication of drawing a particular inference from a generalization.

denied we could deduce anything important from human mortality

When is it sensible to use gather instead of judge?

In some situations, the words gather and judge are roughly equivalent. However, gather suggests an intuitive forming of a conclusion from implications.

gathered their desire to be alone without a word

When can infer be used instead of judge?

While the synonyms infer and judge are close in meaning, infer implies arriving at a conclusion by reasoning from evidence; if the evidence is slight, the term comes close to surmise.

from that remark, I inferred that they knew each other

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of judge
Noun
In a series of decisions, lower courts have struck down the executive order as unconstitutional, or likely so, even after a Supreme Court ruling in late June that limited judges’ use of nationwide injunctions. Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025 Three days after a federal judge upheld the extension of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans through 2026, immigration authorities detained Jeferson Pacheco Cruces during a routine immigration check-in appointment. Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
There are no cuisine or cost parameters for those judging. Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025 Heather writes candidly about being judged, misunderstood, and even rejected. Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for judge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for judge
Noun
  • The Atletico head coach appeared to gesture to the stands while walking towards the fourth official, before being shown a red card by referee Maurizio Mariani.
    Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Late in the fourth quarter of Game 3, Reeve was seen aggressively pursuing a referee.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In addition to yards of open grassy areas for Pickles and Franklin to roam freely, there is a pool, sauna, pickleball court, outdoor kitchen, and lots of shaded or umbrella-covered seating.
    Lennie Omalza, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Both sides have been meeting to negotiate a resolution to the fight even as the legal challenges played out in court.
    Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The fun begins as the other housewives arrive, unaware that the studio has decided to stage a role-playing scenario to test their readiness.
    Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 27 Sep. 2025
  • After Xaverian missed a go-ahead 36-yard field goal attempt to end the third, Staine decided to begin the fourth and final quarter with one of his signature Hail Mary shots.
    Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on Tuesday estimated that a shutdown could furlough roughly 750,000 federal workers each day, depriving them of about $400 million in wages daily.
    Nik Popli, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Researchers estimate that advances in screening account for about one-quarter of the drop in breast cancer deaths, while improved treatments are responsible for the other three-quarters.
    Dr. Noor Shaik, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The first two abbreviations are easy enough to understand.
    Mark Phelan, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Wilson understood the concerns of both local officials and residents and thanked them for meeting with his team to discuss the idea.
    Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Gonzalez, the former National Security Council official, said senior policymakers thought that embassy staff were showing favoritism to Bukele, sending reports that minimized the growing crisis of democracy in El Salvador.
    T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Initially, the source was thought to be in an area between the football stadium and the high school’s dock area, but the gas utility determined that the leak was somewhere within the building.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This zone is crucial for pitch framing, where catchers use their presentation to influence umpires into calling borderline pitches strikes.
    Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Springer’s comments suggested that the umpires were actively looking for ways to drive the Blue Jays down in the standings so that the Yankees could take the division.
    Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Hernandez Santana is scheduled to appear Monday afternoon before a federal magistrate in Sacramento federal court.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2025
  • According to court records, the magistrate ordered the teen to be detained in the Hamilton County Youth Center.
    Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Judge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/judge. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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