refer to
phrasal verb
referred to; referring to; refers to
1
: to look at or in (something) for information
She often refers to her notes when giving a speech.
Please refer to our website for more information.
2
: to have a direct connection or relationship to (something)
The word "finch" refers to a kind of bird.
The numbers shown in the text refer to footnotes at the bottom of the page.
3
: to talk about or write about (someone or something) especially briefly : to mention (someone or something) in speech or in writing
No one referred to the incident.
Examples of refer to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Beijing refers to the shoal as Renai Jiao, while Manila calls it Ayungin Shoal.
—
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 27 June 2024
The star wing was, in part, humbly referring to her history-making rookie year, having set an NCAA freshman scoring record with 920 points (breaking Tina Hutchinson's record of 898 points).
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 27 June 2024
This rising genre, most often referred to as Arabizi or A-pop, among other names, describes the popular music emerging from the Arab diaspora.
—Sara Ibrahim, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2024
The media followed the story closely, and today many still refer to its impact.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for refer to 
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 27 June 2024
The star wing was, in part, humbly referring to her history-making rookie year, having set an NCAA freshman scoring record with 920 points (breaking Tina Hutchinson's record of 898 points).
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 27 June 2024
This rising genre, most often referred to as Arabizi or A-pop, among other names, describes the popular music emerging from the Arab diaspora.
—Sara Ibrahim, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2024
The media followed the story closely, and today many still refer to its impact.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for refer to
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'refer to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near refer to
Cite this Entry
“Refer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refer%20to. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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