ref·er·ee
ˌre-fə-ˈrē 
1
: one to whom a thing is referred: such as
a
: a person to whom a legal matter is referred for investigation and report or for settlement
b
: a person who reviews a paper and especially a technical paper and recommends that it should or should not be published
c
chiefly British
: reference sense 4a
2
: a sports official usually having final authority in administering a game
refereed; refereeing
1
: to conduct (a match or game) as referee
2
a
: to arbitrate (something, such as a legal matter) as a judge or third party
b
: to review (something, such as a technical paper) before publication
: to act as a referee
Examples of referee in a Sentence
Noun
served as the unofficial referee in disputes over the family business
Verb
She refereed the basketball game.
He has refereed for several years now.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
The wrestlers, plus at least one referee with a story of his own, are completely persuasive, and Orner is able to give a sense of pervasive rumors about Strauss’ creepiness.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
Natasha Dye, People.com, 9 May 2025
The game could decide the title, with only four points between the two teams and four games remaining, meaning that all eyes will be on the man in the middle, who will referee his 30th game of the 2024/25 season.
—Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for referee
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Noun
The players needed a referee and spotted the old man in the bleachers.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
The wrestlers, plus at least one referee with a story of his own, are completely persuasive, and Orner is able to give a sense of pervasive rumors about Strauss’ creepiness.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
Verb
Green's teammate Jimmy Butler spoke to ESPN after the game, agreeing that Green's reputation and history of receiving technical fouls contributes to the way officials referee him.
—Natasha Dye, People.com, 9 May 2025
The game could decide the title, with only four points between the two teams and four games remaining, meaning that all eyes will be on the man in the middle, who will referee his 30th game of the 2024/25 season.
—Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for referee
Cite this Entry
“Referee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/referee. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
referee
1 of 2 noun
ref·er·ee
ˌref-ə-ˈrē
1
: a person to whom something that is to be investigated or decided is referred
2
: a sports official usually having final authority in conducting a game
referee
2 of 2 verb
refereed; refereeing
: to conduct as a referee
Legal Definition
referee
noun
ref·er·ee
ˌre-fə-ˈrē
: an officer appointed by a court or quasi-judicial body (as a workers' compensation board) to investigate a case, report findings, and often to make orders subject to review
the board may affirm, reverse, modify or supplement the order of the referee—Oregon Revised Statutes
Oregon Revised StatutesLove words? Need even more definitions?
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