refer to
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 bill passed the full Assembly floor last month and has been referred to the Senate Rules Committee.
—
Kassia Bonesteel, CBS News, 9 June 2026
In February, a federal judge said the IRS broke the law by disclosing confidential taxpayer information to ICE, referring to the same 47,000 disclosures that the inspector general points out.
—Fatima Hussein, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
The company also says Siri will be able to factor personal information on a user’s iPhone into answers, such as referring to photos on a user’s phone when answering queries.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
Almost always referred to as a competitor of Tesla, Lucid began small.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for refer to
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Kassia Bonesteel, CBS News, 9 June 2026
In February, a federal judge said the IRS broke the law by disclosing confidential taxpayer information to ICE, referring to the same 47,000 disclosures that the inspector general points out.
—Fatima Hussein, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
The company also says Siri will be able to factor personal information on a user’s iPhone into answers, such as referring to photos on a user’s phone when answering queries.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
Almost always referred to as a competitor of Tesla, Lucid began small.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 8 June 2026
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 9 Jun. 2026.
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