1
as in source
something mentioned in a text as providing related and especially supporting information
the author's argument is interesting, but the lack of references makes me wonder if it can be proven
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as in to source
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Recent Examples of reference
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2025
Trump did not reference Hernandez directly in the post.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Claudia Lauer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025
Also written on the weapons and magazines were antisemitic writings and references to the Holocaust, other mass shooters and the Catholic Church.
—Marc Santia, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reference
Noun
Haigh went on to reference two of Haring’s most famous works, Radiant and Party of Life.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2025
Trump did not reference Hernandez directly in the post.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
But in several high profile shootings since Columbine, shooters have had shirts, stickers or other references to the band as a reference to the Columbine shooting.
—Claudia Lauer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025
Also written on the weapons and magazines were antisemitic writings and references to the Holocaust, other mass shooters and the Catholic Church.
—Marc Santia, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reference
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reference
Noun
-
Ukrainian and Western governments have accused North Korea of supplying significant amounts of ammunition and troops to support Russia's war, while Kyiv and its NATO backers have identified China as Moscow's prime source of materiel and a vital economic lifeline.—
Leah Sarnoff,
ABC News,
3 Sep. 2025
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Their goal was to find an IP address — the unique identifier assigned to every cell phone and computer — that could reveal the source.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Alex, in regards to all his relationships, has probably some growing up to do and some self-reflection to do.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Alternately, adding yet another metric to track with regard to your child’s sleep can be exhausting, says Amanda DeLuca, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and founder of the Riley app, which provides parents with science-back articles on healthy sleep, feeding, and pregnancy.—
Taylor Grothe,
Parents,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Previews are underway for House of McQueen, an off-Broadway production opening on September 9 at The Mansion on Hudson Yards, that will document the life of designer Lee Alexander McQueen.—
Vogue Runway,
Vogue,
4 Sep. 2025
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Although many websites offer certification for emotional support animals, they aren't required to be documented in an official registry, according to state and federal law.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Out of respect for the family’s privacy, no further details will be released.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Sep. 2025
-
For her latest film, Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania has sourced the entire call and treated it with respect, horror, and grief, affording it space to play out in in full without attempts to visualize, animate, or reconstruct what is happening on the ground for Hind.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reference.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reference. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.
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