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
Michael Russo, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Fox News Digital reached out to the Broncos, the NFL and the NFL referees association for comment on Surtain’s theory.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Fans in a Halloween mood, show up dressed like referees signalling touchdown.
—Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
This cynicism inevitably besmirches players, coaches, and referees who have no ties to gambling.
—Danny Funt, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
But the referees split over the degree to which Google had demonstrated bona fide quantum advantage.
—Dan Garisto, Scientific American, 22 Oct. 2025
One of those referees was named an NBA staff official for the 2025-26 campaign.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
That’s been done either by having referees call phantom penalties on Chiefs opponents or not flagging Kansas City players.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
But after conferencing, referees Garrett Rank and Gord Dwyer ruled that former Wild Justin Brazeau interfered with Gustavsson.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Fox News Digital reached out to the Broncos, the NFL and the NFL referees association for comment on Surtain’s theory.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Fans in a Halloween mood, show up dressed like referees signalling touchdown.
—Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
This cynicism inevitably besmirches players, coaches, and referees who have no ties to gambling.
—Danny Funt, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
But the referees split over the degree to which Google had demonstrated bona fide quantum advantage.
—Dan Garisto, Scientific American, 22 Oct. 2025
One of those referees was named an NBA staff official for the 2025-26 campaign.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
That’s been done either by having referees call phantom penalties on Chiefs opponents or not flagging Kansas City players.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 13 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referees
Noun
-
As Iglesias got close to the umps, the 57-year-old bespectacled manager pivoted and pulled Iglesias back, moved in front of him and held his ground while Iglesias and now Bogaerts shouted at the umpires.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Oct. 2025
-
This led to a heated interaction between Padres players and the umpires.—
Valentina Martinez,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The winner was chosen by an independent panel, which each year judges the entries on artistic achievement.—
Thomas Smith,
Billboard,
16 Oct. 2025
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Joining judges Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba and Derek Hough this week is former dancing pro Kym Johnson.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Sympathetic, apparently, to Geralt’s quest to save Ciri, Regis decides to join the gang on the road — though a closing shot of Regis privately savoring the scent of Geralt’s blood on a cloth raises some troubling questions for the show to answer down the road.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
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Summary judgment, where the court decides which claims go to trial, will provide a clearer picture.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Programmable metamaterials are engineered so that their structure, not their chemistry, determines their macroscopic properties.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Oct. 2025
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And to me, that’s very alien to imagine that the Universe could be not following some laws, that there isn’t some set of rules out there that determines what really happens?—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Boise and Treasure Valley residents have a chance to enjoy a beautiful fall Friday before a cold front bringing rainy weather and gusty winds settles into Southwest Idaho starting Saturday morning.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
24 Oct. 2025
-
But slowly, the truth settles in.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Referees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referees. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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