as in umpire
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
Relevance
as in to decide
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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of referee
John Last, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2024
Farrell protested the stoppage, but that animation alone was proof the referee made the correct decision.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2024
Disputes like this aren’t uncommon where defendants could be tried in multiple jurisdictions and require Justice Department headquarters to referee the competition.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for referee 
Noun
All are, inexplicably, dressed in 19th-century clothing, from the children crowding the entry gate to the old men who act as referees.
—John Last, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2024
Farrell protested the stoppage, but that animation alone was proof the referee made the correct decision.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
Only 60% of boys’ football officials referee both sports.
—Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2024
Disputes like this aren’t uncommon where defendants could be tried in multiple jurisdictions and require Justice Department headquarters to referee the competition.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for referee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referee
Noun
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Before the Sunday night vote, the Hall of Fame had 346 members, including 273 players, 39 executives and pioneers, 23 managers, and 10 umpires.Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
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Anyone who participated in sports at the high school or Little League likely knew the big-hearted, smiling man who was the third-base umpire, scorekeeper and batboy.Erika I. Ritchie, Orange County Register, 3 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Following Wrinkles, Indiana took a 15-year hiatus from executions until Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb decided this year to resume them.Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
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Set in the world of tabloid journalism, the Paparazzo follows an opportunistic outcast who needs fast cash to help his ailing mother and decides to partner with a wily paparazzo.Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The judge moved the case to Kings County Supreme Court.Annabella Rosciglione, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 27 Dec. 2024
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Earlier in the week, a judge in Texas ruled that a nationwide preliminary injunction barring the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, from enforcing the CTA would stand.Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In recent years, programs such as grants to settle in Tuscan villages, and Mediterranean islands that sell homes for less than the price of a cup of coffee, have presented tempting opportunities for aspiring expats.Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
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In 2021, Prime, Reddy and one of Prime’s doctors agreed to pay $37.5 million to settle allegations that Prime paid the doctor kickbacks for patient referrals, among other allegations.Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Research is ongoing to determine exactly how turmeric may benefit health.Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 21 Dec. 2024
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Yet despite all this, there's still some hope for Bangladesh's democracy because of the emergence of powerful new political actors determined to restore it.Michael Kugelman, NPR, 21 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Insurance companies like Chubb have led the way in deploying sophisticated legal strategies designed not to adjudicate claims, but to exhaust survivors’ resolve — not just in New York, but around the nation.Dave Catalfamo, New York Daily News, 19 Dec. 2024
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It's decided who the defendant is — TikTok — and it's essentially adjudicated their guilt — guilt in a civil sense, not in a criminal sense — which is the mark of a bill of attainder.Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Finally, after the Japanese crushed them at the Battle of Tsushima, the Russians agreed to peace negotiations arbitrated by the United States.Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024
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And in March, his name was circulated as a possible candidate to chair the Expediency Council (which arbitrates disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council), a significant promotion.Sanam Vakil, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2017
Thesaurus Entries Near referee
Cite this Entry
“Referee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referee. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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