refer to
phrasal verb
referred to; referring to; refers to
1
: 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.
2
: 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.
3
: 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
The shirt is used to express support for trans women, who are sometimes referred to as dolls.
—
Jay Stahl, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
But the Mexican estimate refers to conventional resources, and the country has significant shale gas potential, especially given that the Eagle Ford shale basin extends into Mexico.
—Michael Lynch, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
The English-language article did not refer to nuclear weapons.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
While analyzing the pilot episode, Williams and Knight noted that Carol (Florence Henderson) is referred to as Mrs. Martin at the very beginning.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for refer to
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Jay Stahl, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
But the Mexican estimate refers to conventional resources, and the country has significant shale gas potential, especially given that the Eagle Ford shale basin extends into Mexico.
—Michael Lynch, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
The English-language article did not refer to nuclear weapons.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
While analyzing the pilot episode, Williams and Knight noted that Carol (Florence Henderson) is referred to as Mrs. Martin at the very beginning.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for refer to
Cite this Entry
“Refer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refer%20to. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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