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

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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

The clue [Aid in evaluating some calls] refers to calls made by umpires or referees, who often consult SLOW-MOTION replay before making their rulings. — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2026 If the kid was fouling every kid wouldn’t he be given a red card from the referee, not a jelly parent? — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 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

Outside on the diamond, a fake umpire was standing near home plate with a gun and a taser concealed beneath his uniform.

— Don Riddell, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Federal prosecutors say Cathcart was an umpire, including at Little League baseball games organized through the Waterford Coaches Association, and volunteered for youth hockey.

— DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of umpire

Verb

That decision, handed down just before noon Friday, all but ensures the issue will reach the Supreme Court and be decided there before polls close Tuesday.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
The couple decided to tie in both of their cultural backgrounds through other planning decisions.

— Shelby Wax, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of decide

Noun

On Monday, as Palacios wrapped up his second-day of testimony under cross-examination by Sanon’s defense lawyer Humberto Dominguez, Désir made his initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Miami across the street.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
That same day, another federal district judge in a separate case in California barred DOJ from threatening election workers with criminal prosecution for refusing to stop processing ballots or resisting other demands.

— Dan Mangan,Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of judge

Verb

Earlier this month, Minnesota Vikings fans who’d settled in for the team’s matchup with the Miami Dolphins were surprised to see a Paxton ad show up during one of the in-game breaks.

— Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Does not America offer any inducement for men to settle here?

— René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of settle

Verb

Give the city, the district and potential partners the time to determine whether co-location can work before making a decision that cannot easily be undone.

— Tim Lonergan, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
Establish a panel of coaches, athletic directors and players to determine a reasonable figure and all athletes being paid will receive that amount.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of determine

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

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refer

referee

refereed

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Style

“Referee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referee. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of referee

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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