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

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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

In rejecting the petition, the legal referee said the wording did not rise to the level of an overt threat. — Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 29 July 2026 By the time Kevin Buzzard of Imperial College London woke up the next morning, it had been checked by Lean, software that verifies proofs step by step rather than relying on human referees. — Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Verb

Beyond on-pitch disputes over refereeing calls, life and politics have spilt into the tournament like never before. — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 17 July 2026 Just days before the tournament kicked off, CBP turned away Omar Artan, the African Men’s Referee of the Year, who was set to be the first Somali to referee a FIFA World Cup. — Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for referee

Recent Examples of Synonyms for referee

Noun

The Jordan and James camps will continue to pound away at each other from their baselines, back and forth, making the rest of us who are undecided feel like chair umpires at a tennis match, head on a swivel.

— Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 30 July 2026
After the squirrel was caught, home plate umpire Bill Miller gave a shoutout to the grounds crew for their efforts.

— Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of umpire

Verb

Instead of dwelling on the crime, the owners decided to respond with humor, posting the video on Instagram with a mock 0-star review for the burglary crew.

— Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Florida’s August primary election is here, offering voters the opportunity to cast ballots in contests that will set up November clashes for governor, Congress and the state Legislature, and decide local races and referenda in counties and cities.

— Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026

Definition of decide

Noun

This contrasts sharply with a federal judge's decision days earlier, blocking Minnesota from criminalizing prediction markets, a win for Kalshi and the CFTC who argue federal preemption.

— Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
First applied by a few individual judges in 2019, it was rubber-stamped by a lower section of the supreme court in 2023, which led to regional judges across the country, who rule on citizenship cases, applying it to would-be citizens.

— Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of judge

Verb

The sluggish start mirrored Wednesday’s defeat, leaving Bay FC once again chasing the game before many fans had settled into their seats.

— Harold Gutmann, Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2026
Named for nebbia, the Italian word for the heavy layer of fog that settles over the vineyards around harvest time in early autumn, Nebbiolo has been cultivated in Piedmont for more than 750 years.

— Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of settle

Verb

The House’s post-#MeToo rule changes in 2018 clarified that members cannot pursue relationships with their own staff and created a new process for adjudicating harassment claims.

— David Weigel, semafor.com, 29 July 2026
For those asylum applicants reviewed by USCIS, the officer usually adjudicates the case or refers it to an immigration judge.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026

Definition of adjudicate

Verb

The Prop Association, a self-regulatory body launched in April 2025 under CEO Jordan Schneir, now offers to arbitrate the disputes.

— Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
His case prompted a withering rebuke from the California Supreme Court, which said Kaiser’s system of arbitrating legal disputes was subject to long delays and unfair to its members.

— Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026

Definition of arbitrate

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refer

referee

refereed

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“Referee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referee. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of referee

noun

verb

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