refer to

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

It is not known whether the two reports referred to the same vessel. — CNN Money, 12 July 2026

Tax authorities often refer to this behavior as electronic sales suppression. — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026

It’s not referred to as such in Little House on the Prairie, but in real life, this was the Drum Creek Treaty of 1870. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026

Words that are formally singular but refer to a group are called collective nouns. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 11 July 2026

Rhymes for refer to

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