REFEREED Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

refereed

verb

past tense of referee

as in decided

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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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 refereed Barton officiated the France-Spain match, while American Ismail Elfath refereed the England-Argentina match. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 The 46-year-old Slovenian refereed Madrid’s 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the 2024 Champions League final. — ABC News, 17 July 2026 There were accusations that several matches have been refereed in favor of Argentina. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 14 July 2026 Dieperink had refereed in professional football since 2011, taking charge of 284 matches, and had officiated in the Eredivisie, the top flight of Dutch football, since 2017. — Sam Joseph, New York Times, 13 July 2026 Artan has refereed for FIFA since 2018 and won awards for his work. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 8 June 2026 Any Avs postseason game refereed by Kelly Sutherland automatically starts with one eyebrow raised. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 10 May 2026 The building that houses this establishment has hosted gambling, cockfighting, a gallery, a dance hall, and even boxing matches once refereed by Ernest Hemingway himself. — Chelsea Brasted, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026 With each witness, Guillard — in her role as her own attorney — challenged their testimony in sometimes testy back-and-forths that had to be refereed by the judge and court staff. — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for refereed

Verb

While all of the women found their respective moment to shine, no one rose to the occasion quite like Luann de Lesseps, who seemingly decided on her own that Kyle’s white party would be the perfect backdrop for a cabaret performance like none other.

— Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
This family gathering comes just days after it was revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have decided to formally relocate their residence back to Harry’s homeland.

— Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of decided

Verb

This week, there was a major breakthrough when DNA provided by her sister, Burks, was determined to be a match, enabling investigators to finally identify the 1995 victim as Lydia.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
The hospital was run by Louisiana State University, which determined that Katrina left the building too damaged to reopen — an assessment that was disputed by some hospital staff and community members.

— JACK BROOK, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of determined

Verb

In cases where the visa holder has an active asylum application, the claim will have to be adjudicated and denied before removal proceedings can move forward.

— Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Still, asylum seekers were generally allowed to remain in the country while their claims were adjudicated and, after meeting eligibility requirements, could obtain authorization to work.

— María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of adjudicated

Verb

Antoine Griezmann, France vs Croatia, 2018 Griezmann restores France’s lead with a penalty after Ivan Perisic was adjudged to have handled in the box.

— Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov won the Hart Trophy as the NHL player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team, marking the second such honor of his career after also winning the award in 2019.

— Mercury News, Mercury News, 12 June 2026

Definition of adjudged

Verb

Any such controversy or claim shall be arbitrated on an individual basis and shall not be consolidated in any arbitration with any claim or controversy of any other party.

— CBS News Philadelphia Staff, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Alleged violations of these treaties are arbitrated through the Investor State Dispute Settlement system (ISDS), which has turned out to be a boon for fossil asset owners.

— JESSICA F. GREEN, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2025

Definition of arbitrated

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referee

refereed

refereeing

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“Refereed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refereed. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of refereed

verb

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