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

All of which the president seemed to be referring to in a new message posted to Truth Social on Wednesday. —Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Jan. 2026

Lastly, energy efficiency refers to the energy cost of learning being roughly equivalent to that of a human acquiring the same skill. —Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026

The idea refers to non-normative spaces in which a juxtaposition of scenes and stories allows the joining-together of divergent temporalities and locations in a way that defies patriarchal and authoritarian regulations of social and political topoi. —Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026

As many state workers are aware, California agencies frequently use niche acronyms and specific language to refer to departments. —William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 31 Dec. 2025

Rhymes for refer to

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