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

Ironically, some early reviews of my work—positive ones—have referred to Town & Country as a satire. —Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025

Exit readiness refers to being strategically prepared for a sale or public offering, highlighting strong performance, credible growth potential, and operational improvements to attract buyers. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025

Piker went on to make a series of lewd remarks, using expletives to refer to and address former Governor Cuomo. —Sirena Bergman, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025

In the original manga, the character appears as an okama, a Japanese umbrella term that refers to gender nonconforming men, trans women and crossdressers. —Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 5 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for refer to

• amadou
• avenue
• ballyhoo
• baraboo
• barbecue
• barbeque
• bugaboo
• cabildo
• caribou
• cockatoo
• detinue
• devalue