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
Brannon also had a rifle with a Cyrillic message that referred to death and a racial slur, as well as a thumb drive with a recording of the Christchurch, New Zealand, white supremacist mass shooting, the plea deal says in a statement of facts that Brannon agreed to.
—
Phil Helsel, NBC News, 1 Dec. 2023
Its title, in Mexican slang, refers to an over-the-top person who uses his words to make people fall in love.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 1 Dec. 2023
To this day it is considered a seminal work, one that scholars now refer to in looking for lessons to apply to cyberwarfare.
—David E. Sanger, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023
Musk was referring to Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, which is among the brands that paused advertising on X this month in response to Musk’s recent actions.
—Lauren Goode, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2023
Learn More › There are a few different flavors of wilderness camping, but typically, the term refers to simply camping in the backcountry.
—Diana Helmuth, Outdoor Life, 29 Nov. 2023
The only remaining accuser was an Israeli woman referred to in court as Jane Doe.
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Robicheaux and Riley met the woman at a Newport Beach restaurant in 2017, according to the criminal complaint, and Riley gave her cocaine in the bathroom of a bar.
—Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2023
Her first resolution to impeach Mayorkas was referred to committee.
—Lauren Peller, ABC News, 29 Nov. 2023
The White House was referring to Musk’s post lending credence to what is known as Great Replacement Theory.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2023
See More
Phil Helsel, NBC News, 1 Dec. 2023
Its title, in Mexican slang, refers to an over-the-top person who uses his words to make people fall in love.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 1 Dec. 2023
To this day it is considered a seminal work, one that scholars now refer to in looking for lessons to apply to cyberwarfare.
—David E. Sanger, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023
Musk was referring to Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, which is among the brands that paused advertising on X this month in response to Musk’s recent actions.
—Lauren Goode, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2023
Learn More › There are a few different flavors of wilderness camping, but typically, the term refers to simply camping in the backcountry.
—Diana Helmuth, Outdoor Life, 29 Nov. 2023
The only remaining accuser was an Israeli woman referred to in court as Jane Doe.
Advertisement
Robicheaux and Riley met the woman at a Newport Beach restaurant in 2017, according to the criminal complaint, and Riley gave her cocaine in the bathroom of a bar.
—Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2023
Her first resolution to impeach Mayorkas was referred to committee.
—Lauren Peller, ABC News, 29 Nov. 2023
The White House was referring to Musk’s post lending credence to what is known as Great Replacement Theory.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2023
See More
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.
Dictionary Entries Near refer to
Cite this Entry
“Refer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refer%20to. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
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