UMPIRE Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

umpire 1 of 2

noun

ˈəm-ˌpī(-ə)r

Definition of umpire

as in referee

a person who impartially decides or resolves a dispute or controversy usually acts as umpire in the all-too-frequent squabbles between the two other roommates

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

umpire

2 of 2

verb

as in to decide

to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute) in our family disputes regarding the use of our home entertainment system are umpired by Dad

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of umpire

Noun

Manager Blake Butera got in the face of umpire Manny Gonzalez and was ejected for the first time this season, a decision that was appreciated inside the clubhouse. — Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 The umpire rejected West Indies' appeal but captain Roston Chase referred the decision to the television umpire, who ruled the ball was turning enough to hit leg stump. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Verb

Ogilvie has also squeezed in umpiring the last three years. — Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026 Despite reportedly taking some violent blows to the head and wrestling the alleged thief to the ground, Ballou was able to umpire the Phillies’ game the next night. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for umpire

Recent Examples of Synonyms for umpire

Noun

Once the contest was underway, Perrin began livestreaming on Instagram while simultaneously refereeing the matches, making her the organizer, referee and camera operator all at once.

— Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026
After terrorizing that one kid, the bird reportedly went after a few other teenage footballers to the point that the referee had to put the match on hold.

— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of referee

Verb

His company depended on a third-party tool to connect its data infrastructure, and the deciding problem turned out not to be the price.

— Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Just a few hours after dropping pics of herself with voluminous, body-licious curls, Khloé Kardashian decided to kick off August with a fresh hair cut—and introduced us all to her alter ego, Bob Kardashian, in the process.

— Kara Nesvig, Allure, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of decide

Noun

This contrasts sharply with a federal judge's decision days earlier, blocking Minnesota from criminalizing prediction markets, a win for Kalshi and the CFTC who argue federal preemption.

— Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
First applied by a few individual judges in 2019, it was rubber-stamped by a lower section of the supreme court in 2023, which led to regional judges across the country, who rule on citizenship cases, applying it to would-be citizens.

— Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of judge

Verb

The sluggish start mirrored Wednesday’s defeat, leaving Bay FC once again chasing the game before many fans had settled into their seats.

— Harold Gutmann, Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2026
Named for nebbia, the Italian word for the heavy layer of fog that settles over the vineyards around harvest time in early autumn, Nebbiolo has been cultivated in Piedmont for more than 750 years.

— Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of settle

Verb

While there is an electric fence, a few times a year determined goats make their way out.

— Ricky Sayer, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Whether health workers like Kayimpa receive that support could determine how many remain on the front line, fighting to keep patients alive and contain the virus.

— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of determine

Verb

The Prop Association, a self-regulatory body launched in April 2025 under CEO Jordan Schneir, now offers to arbitrate the disputes.

— Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
His case prompted a withering rebuke from the California Supreme Court, which said Kaiser’s system of arbitrating legal disputes was subject to long delays and unfair to its members.

— Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026

Definition of arbitrate

Verb

Autonomy, in both framings, is adjudicated by a physician, verified at the bedside.

— Sai Rajagopal, STAT, 4 Aug. 2026
The House’s post-#MeToo rule changes in 2018 clarified that members cannot pursue relationships with their own staff and created a new process for adjudicating harassment claims.

— David Weigel, semafor.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of adjudicate

Verb

Antoine Griezmann, France vs Croatia, 2018 Griezmann restores France’s lead with a penalty after Ivan Perisic was adjudged to have handled in the box.

— Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov won the Hart Trophy as the NHL player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team, marking the second such honor of his career after also winning the award in 2019.

— Mercury News, Mercury News, 12 June 2026

Definition of adjudge

Browse Nearby Words

umiaks

umpire

umpired

See all Nearby Words

Articles Related to umpire

Cite this Entry

Style

“Umpire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/umpire. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of umpire

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

The Words of the Week - Aug. 8

Know Your Baseball Idioms

9 Words Formed by Mistakes

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on umpire

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

pedagogical

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

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

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'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

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes