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

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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 38-year-old Australian overwhelmed Evloev with punches late in the round, sending the challenger to the canvas before the referee intervened with 6 seconds remaining. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 The 11th overall pick in this year’s NBA draft, who helped Michigan win the national title last season, said he was astonished at the way Doncic worked the referees for foul calls. — Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 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

Trials in four other cases in which Sorrells’ predecessor, Sharen Wilson, decided to seek the death penalty, have occurred during Sorrells term.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
The next auto race will be decided by which country can excel at both.

— Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of decide

Noun

Separately, the three law professors contacted by The Post reviewed the judge's ruling in Bakken's case, as well as portions of Gist's memorandum and the legal official's email.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
The family court judge in the case, Marlon Weiss, was appointed by DeSantis in 2025 to the Circuit Court in Broward.

— Jim Defede, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of judge

Verb

He was educated at Middlebury College, and lived in New York City for 15 years, before settling back on the farm with his wife, Olga, and their children, Fiona and Abraham.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Remember, parents with kids this age are also the ones that are still living with their mom and dad, have to have coloring books and fidget toys at work to settle their nerves and focus and flat out refuse to grow up.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 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 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of referee

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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