REFEREE Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

referee 1 of 2

noun

ˌre-fə-ˈrē

Definition of referee

as in umpire

a person who impartially decides or resolves a dispute or controversy served as the unofficial referee in disputes over the family business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

referee

2 of 2

verb

as in to decide

to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute) their father usually ends up refereeing any disputes concerning use of the big TV

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 referee

Noun

That is, until the referees wiped it off the board because Bell’s toe had stepped out-of-bounds prior to the catch. — Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 Representatives for the unions representing NFL players and referees did not immediately respond to requests for comment. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026

Verb

Barton officiated the France-Spain match, while American Ismail Elfath refereed the England-Argentina match. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 Once the contest was underway, Perrin began livestreaming on Instagram while simultaneously refereeing the matches, making her the organizer, referee and camera operator all at once. — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for referee

Recent Examples of Synonyms for referee

Noun

Sun appeared about to win the point when Gauff stopped playing, but the chair umpire then ordered the point to be replayed.

— Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Friends described him as a dedicated father, business owner and active member of the Severna Park community who served as a Little League umpire and youth sports coach.

— Caroline Foreback, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of umpire

Verb

Heading into the midterm elections, AI now ranks as a key issue in races that will help decide control of both chambers of Congress.

— Jeff Masonand Michael Shepard Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
This feels more like the 2008 financial crisis where the government decided a cash-infusion could help stabilize the market, this time in the form of a television agreement that leads to more teams making the postseason.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of decide

Noun

Perhaps a handful of judges would be confirmed, but Cabinet secretaries would face long slogs.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
The judge’s order expires later this week, and the three outlets are seeking a preliminary injunction to sideline the ban in the longer term.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of judge

Verb

Florida’s research has long tracked how different kinds of work settle in different places.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
Mercury in your partnership house squares Mars in your 4th, creating friction between another person’s perspective and what feels comfortable or settled to you.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of settle

Verb

The team was also able to determine the mass of both bodies in ZTF J0440+2325.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026
The Reaveys spent Callum’s early years performing their own intensive physical and speech therapies with him, determined their son would roll over, crawl, and learn to say his name.

— Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of determine

Verb

The states likewise argued that the board does not raise First Amendment concerns, arguing that the deal will not put the court in the position of adjudicating news judgments.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
City attorneys argued that the city’s long-standing practice of adjudicating those cases by the Chicago Police Board should remain in place.

— Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of adjudicate

Verb

As Rees sees it, legacy institutions are ill-equipped to arbitrate informational or cultural truths in a network-first world.

— Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
The underlying logic is that if parties contractually agree to arbitrate their grievances, which Moore and other professional tennis players do, judges ought to treat the outcome as final, assuming there are no extraordinary circumstances.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of arbitrate

Browse Nearby Words

refer

referee

refereed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Referee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referee. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of referee

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on referee

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes