as in referee
a person who impartially decides or resolves a dispute or controversy
the couple finally agreed to let the salesclerk be the final arbitrator and tell them which shirt looked best
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Recent Examples of arbitrator
Typically, when a dispute arises regarding the interpretation or enforcement of any of the proposals in a teachers contract, CTU initiates a grievance process that may be submitted to arbitration, where an impartial arbitrator makes a binding decision.
—
Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
For the first time ever in a baseball-agent dispute, the arbitrator awarded punitive damages, ordering WME to pay Excel $4 million.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 22 May 2025
An arbitrator will now determine whether Wilkins is entitled to his $35 million.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 25 July 2025
The parties have another 30 days to attempt to find an arbitrator who meets both of their specifications, KERA News reported.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for arbitrator
Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
For the first time ever in a baseball-agent dispute, the arbitrator awarded punitive damages, ordering WME to pay Excel $4 million.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 22 May 2025
An arbitrator will now determine whether Wilkins is entitled to his $35 million.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 25 July 2025
The parties have another 30 days to attempt to find an arbitrator who meets both of their specifications, KERA News reported.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for arbitrator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arbitrator
Noun
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The referee, trailing well behind the transition attack, didn’t even move to whistle the foul, but a VAR review was initiated and the penalty was eventually given.—
Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
10 Aug. 2025
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Some other teams insisted every call should go their way—and bullied the referees who disagreed.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
10 Aug. 2025
Noun
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So far during Trump’s second term, the Justices have made a string of emergency rulings in the President’s favor, blessing the chaos that Trump himself unleashed, and with little regard for the work of lower-court judges.—
Cristian Farias,
New Yorker,
6 Aug. 2025
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Her husband, Steve, later remarried and became a federal judge.—
Gillian Telling,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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She’s scheduled to be a base umpire for the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins game on Saturday.—
Kim Elsesser,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Because the audio wasn’t working, chair umpire Fergus Murphy called it a fault.—
Lukas Weese,
New York Times,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arbitrator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arbitrator. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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