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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 second a Verizon worker mentions adding a screen protector, my blood boils.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
While there, McConaughey’s mother, Ma Mac (Holland Taylor) casually mentions there’s a chance the friends could actually be half-brothers.

— Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 25 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 contrast, very little is known about how the hindbrain and spinal cord adopt different fates; the new paper cites only one reference on the topic.

— JOHN TIMMER, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026
Sussman cites one study in which women who had substantial student-loan debt were around forty per cent less likely to have kids than those who didn’t carry debt.

— Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 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

This all sounds exhausting, but most inhabitants love it, Specht notes, especially compared with the chaos of nearby Miami.

— Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Lee notes that Microsoft, for example, has taken steps to lessen its near-term accounting obligations by extending depreciation schedules.

— Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 28 Sep. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

refers

refers (to)

refer (to)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Refers (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refers%20%28to%29. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of refers (to)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

tittle

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes