REFERS (TO) Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

refers (to)

verb

present tense third-person singular of refer (to)

as in specifies

to make reference to or speak about briefly but specifically try not to refer to the recent death of her aunt

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in goes (to)

to use or seek out as a source of aid, relief, or advantage she studied so she wouldn't have to refer to the book during the exam

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for refers (to)

Verb

Before buying, confirm the device lists wavelengths in the 630-to-850-nanometer range and specifies power output.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
When leadership specifies what rigor looks like upfront, teams can stop trading quality for speed.

— Nacho De Marco, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of specifies

Verb

InStyle consults hair experts to discover the 15 trending hair colors for fall.

— Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 27 Aug. 2026
Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, an up-and-coming FBI agent who reluctantly consults imprisoned murderer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to track down a dangerous serial killer.

— Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of consults

Verb

The indictment mentions evidence of the smuggling that took place in 2024, with Earthmade Computer buying dozens of high-end servers and shipping them overseas.

— Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026
Neither mentions coal specifically, but rather bulk commodities.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of mentions

Verb

Tasks need a human being who notices what is happening and takes responsibility.

— Nikola Kiridzic, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
For cases such as the one described in this recent post in which cats are being fed on private property within an association community, violation notices as well as cease and desist letters are the most common initial responses.

— Michael L. Hyman, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of notices

Verb

In court documents, the Justice Department cites that ruling.

— Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Jay cites the scene in which Tommy DeVito (played by Joe Pesci) threatens Billy Batts (Frank Vincent) with increasingly outrageous acts of violence, turning the mobster’s menace into dark comedy.

— John Kennedy, VIBE.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of cites

Verb

The trajectory of income growth indicates that the current pace of consumer spending is likely to slow but still remain fairly solid, said Gus Faucher, senior vice president and chief economist at The PNC Financial Services Group.

— Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
The report also indicates there were breaks for players to get water.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of indicates

Verb

Garon notes that most people who bet on sports do so infrequently and with small amounts of money.

— Shae Lake, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Martin notes that the speed bump Skydance hit in the approval process — the antitrust lawsuit filed by 12 states — cost them probably another $500 million in higher interest fees on short-term debt as rates have inched up.

— Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of notes

Verb

This article quotes language that may be offensive to readers.

— Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
To better understand Lizzie and Emma’s experience, as well as that of other middle-class women at the time, Robertson quotes contemporary journalist Julian Ralph.

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of quotes

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.

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refers (to)

refer (to)

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“Refers (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refers%20%28to%29. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of refers (to)

verb

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