as in umpires
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
Relevance
as in judges
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
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Recent Examples of referees
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 4 May 2026
Phil Buckingham outlined the relevant laws of the game for us and while hair-pulling isn’t specifically referenced within them, referees and VAR reviews are taking a dim view of it.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Upon review, the referees upgraded the foul to a flagrant-1.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Red cards would also be given to players who leave the field because of issues with referees' rulings, the board said in a second rule change.
—Doha Madani, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026
Hathaway was penalized for two minutes for high sticking and visually pleaded with the referees on his way to the penalty box that Crosby dove.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
Brown clashed with referees several times during the regular season.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 4 May 2026
Phil Buckingham outlined the relevant laws of the game for us and while hair-pulling isn’t specifically referenced within them, referees and VAR reviews are taking a dim view of it.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Upon review, the referees upgraded the foul to a flagrant-1.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Red cards would also be given to players who leave the field because of issues with referees' rulings, the board said in a second rule change.
—Doha Madani, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026
Hathaway was penalized for two minutes for high sticking and visually pleaded with the referees on his way to the penalty box that Crosby dove.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referees
Noun
-
Running out bad home-plate umpires might actually end up being a smart business decision by Major League Baseball.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
-
For a few seconds, everyone at Progressive Field — players, umpires, fans, cotton candy vendors — stared at the video board, awaiting the handy diagram that would determine whether the Cleveland Guardians’ lead was in jeopardy.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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American Idol judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan reacted to Seacrest’s on-air announcement with a mix of shock and confusion.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
6 Apr. 2026
-
In episode three, Mary judges Eleanor pretty harshly for her choices with Robert.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Zion Phelps story is going to be told over and over at Loyola High to show students what can happen when someone discovers potential and decides to take a chance to bring it out.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
The board decides annually if the rent should go up, and by how much.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Verb
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The innovation race is not a zero-sum game, but its outcome determines who will define the standards and security of the 21st century.—
Imran Khalid,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
-
The machine is the overhead; the software that captures knowledge and joins everyone up is what determines how well the business runs.—
Theo Saville,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The agreement also settles two other disputes that have bogged down the case with appeals.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
The Moon settles into your 4th House of Home, where honesty builds trust quickly.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Referees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referees. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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