adjudicator

noun

Definition of adjudicatornext
1
as in referee
a person who impartially decides or resolves a dispute or controversy since they seemed to be in a hopeless stalemate, both labor and management agreed to use an independent adjudicator to decide the terms of the contract

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2
as in judge
a public official having authority to decide questions of law the appellate court refused to hear the case, thus allowing the judgment of previous adjudicators to stand

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of adjudicator Some adjudicators are shifting into fraud and security roles, a former USCIS official told CBS News. — Data Journalist, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 Guinness World Records adjudicator Andy Glass verified the official ticket sales figures and confirmed the record to Variety. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 17 July 2026 Styles was presented with his certificate by Guinness World Records adjudicator Will Munford on stage. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026 Immigration adjudicators may discourage visa holders like Maya from seeking employment after layoffs, thereby limiting their opportunities to stay and work in America. — Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Confirming the fort’s record breaking size required a visit from an official Guinness World Records adjudicator. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 4 June 2026 The competition included 23 players who supplied preliminary video performances; adjudicators selected 12 finalists. — Eric E. Harrison, Arkansas Online, 6 May 2026 The judge prohibited redetention without notice and a hearing before a neutral adjudicator. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026 The instructors at the Atomic Ballroom, based in Costa Mesa, led the dance record effort, giving a step-by-step instruction to those who showed up, the Guinness World Record adjudicator counting the crowd. — Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adjudicator
  1. referee
  2. judge
  3. umpire
  4. court
Noun
  • Additionally, authorities impounded seven vehicles for 30 days, issued 74 citations to people at the takeovers and cited 22 vehicles for offenses requiring an inspection by a state referee, the LASD release said.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • When asked about the new emphasis from referees, Redick echoed sentiments shared by Minnesota coach Chris Finch last week, saying the NBA’s focus on defensive flopping doesn’t align with what the goal should be.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of referee
Noun
  • On Monday, as Palacios wrapped up his second-day of testimony under cross-examination by Sanon’s defense lawyer Humberto Dominguez, Désir made his initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Miami across the street.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
  • That same day, another federal district judge in a separate case in California barred DOJ from threatening election workers with criminal prosecution for refusing to stop processing ballots or resisting other demands.
    — Dan Mangan,Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of judge
Noun
  • The contemporary committee considers managers, executives and umpires whose primary contributions have come since 1980.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The clue [Aid in evaluating some calls] refers to calls made by umpires or referees, who often consult SLOW-MOTION replay before making their rulings.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of umpire
Noun
  • Police charged 52-year-old Mooresville resident Rod Moskowitz with assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, court records show.
    — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
  • But even when Antetokounmpo was on the court in the second half, the Heat struggled.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of court

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Cite this Entry

“Adjudicator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adjudicator. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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