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
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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
Iliana Limón Romero, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2026
Adidas has also outfitted World Cup referees since 1978, but this is the first time its trademark three-stripe design has been prominently featured on referee uniforms.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 June 2026
The referees Miami uniform included bright pink shirts during the game.
—Miami Herald, 16 June 2026
Evans was in an off-site booth for video referees.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 15 June 2026
Both Brunson and Knicks coach Mike Brown screamed at the referees for not calling a foul on Wembanyama, which could have been ruled a flagrant closeout.
—Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
The referees chosen to work the 2026 World Cup have some new tools to speed up the games and ensure that any match-altering officiating mistakes are corrected.
—Russell Lewis, NPR, 12 June 2026
This included the minutes that referees would add to each half in a seemingly arbitrary manner.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Before yellow and red cards existed, referees could warn or send off players.
—Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 June 2026
Noun
During first-half stoppage time, Rezaeian’s free kick was headed home by Ali Nemati, but Nemati was clearly offside and the goal was waived off by the referees.
—Iliana Limón Romero, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2026
Adidas has also outfitted World Cup referees since 1978, but this is the first time its trademark three-stripe design has been prominently featured on referee uniforms.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 June 2026
The referees Miami uniform included bright pink shirts during the game.
—Miami Herald, 16 June 2026
Evans was in an off-site booth for video referees.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 15 June 2026
Both Brunson and Knicks coach Mike Brown screamed at the referees for not calling a foul on Wembanyama, which could have been ruled a flagrant closeout.
—Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
The referees chosen to work the 2026 World Cup have some new tools to speed up the games and ensure that any match-altering officiating mistakes are corrected.
—Russell Lewis, NPR, 12 June 2026
This included the minutes that referees would add to each half in a seemingly arbitrary manner.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Before yellow and red cards existed, referees could warn or send off players.
—Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referees
Noun
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Fights between managers and umpires.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
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But the umpires confirmed the home run, coupling Adell with Canseco in numerous social media posts.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
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This time, judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie convinced him to give the show another shot, igniting his journey all the way to the finale.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 June 2026
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The truck just leans into the work and gets on with life like a ranch foreman who drinks coffee black and silently judges your hitch setup.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Studios will also be required to notify the DGA if an employer decides to license a director’s work to train a generative AI system to create new work.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
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In the second step, a machine learning algorithm decides how to best combine the strength estimates with other information about the teams.—
Achim Zeileis,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Authorities did say that additional information will be released once the three individuals are identified, and when the medical examiner determines their cause of death.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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If the state determines the bear is a threat to public safety, it will be euthanized.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Soft, salt‑sweet air settles over a stretch of sand where no one seems in a rush to be anywhere else.—
David Dickstein,
Oc Register,
17 June 2026
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Still, after the dust settles, the Iranian regime may end up in a better financial situation than before the war started.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Referees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referees. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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