1
as in judges
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in courts
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 adjudicators
The competition included 23 players who supplied preliminary video performances; adjudicators selected 12 finalists.
—
Eric E. Harrison,
Arkansas Online,
6 May 2026
The department disputes that, saying judges are independent adjudicators who decide cases individually.
—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Thomas Bradford is one of 81 adjudicators the company employs across six continents.
—
Cecilia Vega,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Lahoud said the adjudicators follow a flowchart — and if the applicant meets the minimum criteria, the person can expect an approval notice to arrive within days.
—
Ashley J. Dimella,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
The Justice Department’s defense primarily rests on the notion that agency adjudicators like the Merit Systems Protection Board — not federal courts — must decide the disputes.
—
Zach Schonfeld,
The Hill,
15 Oct. 2025
In recent months, EOIR leadership has criticized judges for not efficiently managing their caseloads, and has encouraged adjudicators to streamline asylum reviews and give oral, as opposed to written, decisions on case dismissals.
—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
23 Sep. 2025
Edlow told The Associated Press that the guidance was intended to identify support for terrorist ideologies—not to penalize ordinary political criticism—when adjudicators evaluated applicants for green cards and other benefits.
—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
This led to many longtime employees of companies leaving the United States when USCIS adjudicators rejected their H-1B applications.
—
Stuart Anderson,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Eric E. Harrison,
Arkansas Online,
6 May 2026
The department disputes that, saying judges are independent adjudicators who decide cases individually.
—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Thomas Bradford is one of 81 adjudicators the company employs across six continents.
—
Cecilia Vega,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Lahoud said the adjudicators follow a flowchart — and if the applicant meets the minimum criteria, the person can expect an approval notice to arrive within days.
—
Ashley J. Dimella,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
The Justice Department’s defense primarily rests on the notion that agency adjudicators like the Merit Systems Protection Board — not federal courts — must decide the disputes.
—
Zach Schonfeld,
The Hill,
15 Oct. 2025
In recent months, EOIR leadership has criticized judges for not efficiently managing their caseloads, and has encouraged adjudicators to streamline asylum reviews and give oral, as opposed to written, decisions on case dismissals.
—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
23 Sep. 2025
Edlow told The Associated Press that the guidance was intended to identify support for terrorist ideologies—not to penalize ordinary political criticism—when adjudicators evaluated applicants for green cards and other benefits.
—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
This led to many longtime employees of companies leaving the United States when USCIS adjudicators rejected their H-1B applications.
—
Stuart Anderson,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adjudicators
Noun
-
Most of the judges were Kansas City Barbecue Society-certified, and the competition used a blind judging process to determine the winners.
-
The president has harshly criticized judges who have ruled against him, and his administration has sometimes defied their orders.
Noun
-
Assembly Bill 46, carried by Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, D-Elk Grove, removes a legal standard that restricted courts’ ability to deny diversion.
-
Walton had found his calling in the courts and lawyers, then as now, often dabbled in politics.
Noun
-
After the referees blew the whistle dead in the fourth quarter, Clark and Bonner got entangled in an exchange of words.
-
Indiana Fever fan-favorite Sophie Cunningham made a blunt statement about Caitlin Clark's treatment in the WNBA by opposing players and referees on Saturday.
Noun
-
Jake Mangum then hit a grounder to third baseman Kyle Karros, and the game ended when umpires determined Karros was interfered with by Billy Cook.
-
The umpires saw it differently.
Cite this Entry
“Adjudicators.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adjudicators. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
