as in umpire
a person who impartially decides or resolves a dispute or controversy
served as the unofficial referee in disputes over the family business
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to decide
to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)
their father usually ends up refereeing any disputes concerning use of the big TV
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of referee
Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
One of those referees was named an NBA staff official for the 2025-26 campaign.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
His refereeing prowess gets him a ticket to ref a big match in Plano against Plano South, where the Arlen mayor will be in attendance.
—Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for referee
Noun
Jonathan Kuminga’s outburst toward a referee in Portland cost him more than just the second half of a preseason basketball game.
—Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
One of those referees was named an NBA staff official for the 2025-26 campaign.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
Amid the debate and fury surrounding refereeing standards in La Liga, accusations of bias are commonplace.
—Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
His refereeing prowess gets him a ticket to ref a big match in Plano against Plano South, where the Arlen mayor will be in attendance.
—Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for referee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referee
Noun
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Vitello himself was suspended four games by the NCAA for chest-bumping an umpire during an argument in 2022.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
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The umpire called Robinson safe, while Berra animatedly disagreed.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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However, before Eleven Labs even had a concrete product, Reina, who was working at Palantir Technologies at the time, decided to take a chance on the firm after meeting Staniszewski.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
25 Oct. 2025
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Congress decided to make daylight saving time permanent for two years from 1973 to 1975, extending the hours of daily sunlight year-round to conserve energy during the oil embargo crisis.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Six months after a high-profile arrest and indictment of a judge at the Milwaukee County Courthouse complex, the county's chief judge has yet to issue a formal policy about what leeway federal immigration agents have to operate in the county's halls of justice.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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Dylan, Olivia and Karagach's performance earned them 36/40 from the judges and plenty of high praise.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Steve Coppell’s team were settled and, in Wright and Mark Bright, blessed with one of the most potent strike partnerships in the country.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Then, a month after Sheen settled in, a typhoon destroyed over half of the sets created for the film, causing production to halt once again.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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From there, Bishop, along with the medical team at Portsmouth, sought to determine more about his prognosis and the potential solution.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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The medical examiner on Friday determined that the student died by suicide.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The ruling partially reversed a previous appeals court decision, finding that the original trial court correctly adjudicated the charge of accommodation discrimination.—
Samantha Riedel,
Them.,
23 Oct. 2025
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Each claim has to be adjudicated.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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International investment treaty disputes are arbitrated under a third-party institution that employs attorneys who specialize in international law and have no particular ties to either party.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
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In the event a matter must be arbitrated before a neutral arbitrator, the arbitration provision could nonetheless spell out certain criteria that the league believes are important to the league’s interests and which the arbitrator must consider in reaching a decision.—
Chris Deubert,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Referee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referee. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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