as in deciding
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of refereeing
The decision centred around an alleged breach of AFCON regulations after Senegal walked off the pitch during the final in protest at a refereeing decision.
—
Ali Rampling, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
His displeasure over certain refereeing decisions has gotten the Boston star ejected from one game and fined $35,000 after another.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
Adamson spends weekends hosting competitions, refereeing events and helping build a broader robotics community across South Florida.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
The National Football League (NFL) must overhaul its inconsistent, poorly-performing, horse-and-buggy refereeing system.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Wyatt Earp, before his death in 1929, would sometimes come in for a drink after refereeing nearby boxing matches held in the area.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
Ali Rampling, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
His displeasure over certain refereeing decisions has gotten the Boston star ejected from one game and fined $35,000 after another.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
Adamson spends weekends hosting competitions, refereeing events and helping build a broader robotics community across South Florida.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
The National Football League (NFL) must overhaul its inconsistent, poorly-performing, horse-and-buggy refereeing system.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Wyatt Earp, before his death in 1929, would sometimes come in for a drink after refereeing nearby boxing matches held in the area.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refereeing
Verb
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Global firms consider enforcement regimes when deciding where to locate research, production, and scaling operations.—
Laura Peter,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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Even experienced players can misread a pitch by inches, which makes deciding whether to challenge even more difficult.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But ultimately investors remained on edge, with oil prices settling Friday at their highest level in more than three years.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
28 Mar. 2026
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The February Market Trends Housing Report from the Colorado Association of Realtors shows the mountain homes market settling after years of rapid growth, with buyers gaining more choices and sellers learning that patience and smart pricing matter.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The police chief said the department hired an outside firm to investigate the entire ordeal, which includes determining why the patrol was left unlocked.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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The numbers, often delayed because of the process of determining overdose deaths, were released this month based on information available March 1 by the federal National Vital Statistics System.—
Kaitlin Coward,
Boston Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In these annual awards, voted for by our esteemed foodie judging panel, restaurants are spotlighting punchy flavors from the Caribbean, Vietnam, Sierra Leone and Thailand by way of Japan, China and even Mongolia.—
CNT Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Mar. 2026
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Democrat, Republican, and independent voters (timely) often fall into the same flawed pattern when judging the nation's condition.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kagan and Barrett both pressed Sauer and Paul Clement, who argued on behalf of the RNC, about whether a decision in favor of the GOP would require election officials to complete other tasks on Election Day, such as adjudicating voters' qualifications.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
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However, Attorney General Kris Kobach told McCabria at a hearing on Friday that the state would voluntarily refrain from invalidating anyone else’s driver’s licenses or adjudicating complaints about restroom usage until March 26, a month after the law took effect.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Evans actually spends time umpiring youth games.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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Complaints to umpires by players and managers who disagree with a call are as old as umpiring itself.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Its jurisdiction over credits is especially powerful, arbitrating decisions that can shape careers, reputations, and earnings.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
5 Feb. 2026
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Volunteers often are needed for low-level jobs that Quimby does willingly, including keeping track of how long a person is taking for a shower, arbitrating the line for use of two bathrooms, and moderating use of washers and driers.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Refereeing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refereeing. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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