as in to apply
to have a relation or connection
I don't think that rule of play refers to this particular situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of refer
The doctor referred Woolaston for testing, resulting in her being diagnosed with a pituitary tumor.
—
Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
The Pentagon referred Scientific American to the FBI.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 21 Apr. 2026
Asked for comment, a White House spokesperson referred ABC News to the Justice Department.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
The commission referred inquiries to its executive director, Jacqueline Habersham.
—Gabriella Ybarra, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for refer
Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
The Pentagon referred Scientific American to the FBI.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 21 Apr. 2026
Asked for comment, a White House spokesperson referred ABC News to the Justice Department.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
The commission referred inquiries to its executive director, Jacqueline Habersham.
—Gabriella Ybarra, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for refer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refer
Verb
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Conventional warfare, in which bombs are dropped, shipping channels are mined, and the Geneva Conventions apply more broadly, tends to be time-limited (even if the conflict endures for a long period of time).—
Sue Halpern,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Catcher Lauren Cauthen applied the tag on the strike from Gonzalez, who is committed to Washington.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The contamination dates back to the mid-20th century, when nearby facilities handled radioactive materials as part of industrial and defense-related activities.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Apr. 2026
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Falls are the leading cause of injury and injury-related deaths for Americans aged 65 and older.—
Brian Frost,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The company will also release data pertaining to a phase-three trial for its lupus drug litifilimab in the fourth quarter, which should also give Biogen stock more room to run.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
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Over the decades California has developed laws pertaining to the protection of the state’s diverse environment.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
April 22,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Refer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refer. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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