as in referees
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 arbitrators
But an 1899 decision by arbitrators from Britain, Russia and the United States drew the border along the Essequibo River largely in favor of Guyana.
—
Molly Quell, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
But an 1899 decision by arbitrators from Britain, Russia and the United States drew the border along the Essequibo River largely in favor of Guyana.
—ABC News, 10 May 2026
Employers — and ultimately their workers — cannot pay the bills that the arbitrators are awarding.
—James Gelfand, STAT, 20 Mar. 2026
The Federal Arbitration Act and other laws instruct judges to give substantial deference to arbitrators.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Mar. 2026
Most people believe justice happens in the courtroom, where neutral arbitrators weigh facts before the public.
—Keith Wortz, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
Over the course of a single day, multiple cases unfold as claimants and defendants face off with the support of barristers and independent arbitrators.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Feb. 2026
In 46% of those cases, arbitrators ordered police agencies to rehire officers who had been fired.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
Skubal’s salary was decided by a three-person panel of independent arbitrators after a Wednesday hearing in Arizona.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Molly Quell, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
But an 1899 decision by arbitrators from Britain, Russia and the United States drew the border along the Essequibo River largely in favor of Guyana.
—ABC News, 10 May 2026
Employers — and ultimately their workers — cannot pay the bills that the arbitrators are awarding.
—James Gelfand, STAT, 20 Mar. 2026
The Federal Arbitration Act and other laws instruct judges to give substantial deference to arbitrators.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Mar. 2026
Most people believe justice happens in the courtroom, where neutral arbitrators weigh facts before the public.
—Keith Wortz, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
Over the course of a single day, multiple cases unfold as claimants and defendants face off with the support of barristers and independent arbitrators.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Feb. 2026
In 46% of those cases, arbitrators ordered police agencies to rehire officers who had been fired.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
Skubal’s salary was decided by a three-person panel of independent arbitrators after a Wednesday hearing in Arizona.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arbitrators
Noun
-
Brown clashed with referees several times during the regular season.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
4 May 2026
-
Phil Buckingham outlined the relevant laws of the game for us and while hair-pulling isn’t specifically referenced within them, referees and VAR reviews are taking a dim view of it.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
The judges face a ticking clock as local election clerks prepare to finalize ballots for the August primaries by May 26 and decisions in the three cases are likely to come quickly.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
10 May 2026
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Marquee judges there included some of the biggest names in the industry, such as Stephanie Macleod – the legendary master blender for Dewar’s – and Billy Leighton, the iconic longtime blender at Jameson Irish Whiskey.—
Brad Japhe,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
The homer, which snuck just inside the foul pole in right field, was upheld after being reviewed by umpires.—
CBS New York Team,
CBS News,
7 May 2026
-
Along with those changes, umpires have also become more accurate than ever.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arbitrators.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arbitrators. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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