referee

noun ref·er·ee \ ˌre-fə-ˈrē \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Definition of referee

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b : a person who reviews a paper and especially a technical paper and recommends that it should or should not be published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 4a

2 : a sports official usually having final authority in administering a game

See referee defined for English-language learners

See referee defined for kids

Examples of referee in a Sentence

served as the unofficial referee in disputes over the family business

Recent Examples of referee from the Web

And so will the video assistant referees, working the World Cup for the first time.

— steve almasy, CNN, "Who should you root for in the World Cup when your country isn't even in it," 13 June 2018
The rule is bizarre—all non-flagrant contact fouls are left to a referee's judgement and deemed unreviewable, except in this specific instance—and even the apparently correct application prompts a double take.

— andrew sharp, SI.com, "An Inexplicable Calls Stains a Legendary NBA Finals Thriller," 1 June 2018
Furious at the referee's call, Thompson shoved Warriors player Draymond Green.

— rebecca farley, refinery29.com, "Kanye West Shouts Out Cheating Tristan Thompson In New Track," 1 June 2018
Your referees Bill Alfonso, Dangerous Danny Davis, Earl Hebner and Joey Marella.

— jim varsallone, miamiherald, "Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney hold special meanings to WWE NXT double champ Adam Cole," 1 June 2018
That’s probably why the only major NBA gambling scandal involved a referee, not players.

— mark zeigler, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Should we really be gambling on 19-year-old college kids?," 1 June 2018
But scratching the surface of these organizations reveals the need for a referee, instead.

— cat ferguson, The Verge, "Predatory behavior runs rampant in Facebook’s addiction support groups," 21 May 2018
Arizona Youth Soccer Association: All referees, coaches, assistant coaches, team managers and anyone who applies for a player pass to be on the sidelines is background checked each year.

— alexis egeland, azcentral, "Are your child's coaches background checked? Not always," 10 May 2018
Clark Wade/IndyStar LeBron was still gesturing angrily at the referee when Pacers guard Victor Oladipo attacked the rim, saw Bogdanovic on the right wing and threw him the ball.

— gregg doyel, Indianapolis Star, "Doyel: Bogdanovic betters LeBron with Reggie Miller moment as Pacers stun Cavs in Game 3," 20 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'referee.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of referee

1549

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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referee Synonyms

Synonyms

adjudicator, arbiter, arbitrator, judge, umpire;

Related Words

jurist, justice, magistrate;

intermediary, intermediate, mediator, moderator, negotiator;

conciliator, go-between, peacemaker, reconciler, troubleshooter;

decider;

Other Publishing Terms

annotate, dreadful, emend, expurgate, factoid, jump, lobster shift, redaction

referee

verb

Definition of referee

refereed; refereeing

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to act as a referee

See referee defined for English-language learners

Examples of referee in a Sentence

She refereed the basketball game.
He has refereed for several years now.

Recent Examples of referee from the Web

If fans become too unruly and rude, referees on the pitch can stop or suspend a game.

— The Christian Science Monitor, "Why Russians may bare their teeth at the World Cup," 13 June 2018
With some help from lucky refereeing decisions, South Korea reached the semi-finals in 2002—making it the only country outside Europe and South America to get that far since 1930.

— The Economist, "What makes a country good at football?," 9 June 2018
Only two officials, Salvadoran Joel Aguilar and Uzbek Ravshan Irmatov, will be at their third World Cup after also refereeing in South Africa 2010.

— josé luis sánchez pando, chicagotribune.com, "The United States will indeed be in Russia 2018," 8 June 2018
In between snuggling her two youngest kids and refereeing a video game the older ones were playing, Pruett described to me some of the ways that the family’s financial crisis had impinged on her academic life.

— marcella bombardieri, The Atlantic, "One College's Struggle to Get Poor Students Through School," 30 May 2018
But the girls have made refereeing their primary jobs, with Miranda making about $2,000 this season.

— chadd cripe, idahostatesman, "Meridian family of five has reffed more than 300 soccer games this season | Idaho Statesman," 25 May 2018
Pinches, punches, kicks, bites, hair-pulls, eye-gouging —we’ve refereed it all.

— jason gay, WSJ, "Memo to Rolls-Royce: Family Car Rides Are Anything but Luxurious," 18 May 2018
No call came from the officials and even while play continued with Quinn Cook missing a 13-footer, Durant removed himself from the action to air his frustrations to referee Tre Maddox.

— matt velazquez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Bucks 116, Warriors 107: Defense sets the tone during game-changing run," 30 Mar. 2018
Ezra quickly cautioned his observations shouldn’t be taken as a ruling about Uresti’s guilt, but merely as part of his judicial duties in refereeing what went into jury instructions.

— guillermo contreras, San Antonio Express-News, "Jury to decide Uresti, Cain’s fates in criminal trial this week," 17 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of referee

1883

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

referee Synonyms

Synonyms

adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, decide, determine, judge, rule (on), settle, umpire;

Near Antonyms

equivocate, hedge, pussyfoot, skirt;

size up;

mediate, moderate, negotiate;

prosecute, try;

find (for or against);

conclude, resolve;

REFEREE Defined for English Language Learners

referee

noun

Definition of referee for English Language Learners

: a person who makes sure that players act according to the rules of a game or sport

referee

verb

Definition of referee for English Language Learners

sports : to act as a referee in (a game or sport)

REFEREE Defined for Kids

referee

noun ref·er·ee \ ˌre-fə-ˈrē \

Definition of referee for Students

1 : a sports official with final authority for conducting a game

2 : a person who is asked to settle a disagreement

referee

verb

Definition of referee for Students

refereed; refereeing

: to act or be in charge of as referee

I referee basketball games.

Law Dictionary

referee

noun ref·er·ee \ ˌre-fə-ˈrē \

legal Definition of referee

: 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