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
Mikal Gilmore, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2025
The difficulty of the game was intensified after referee Leon Wood exited in the first half with a hamstring injury.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025
James L. Edwards Iii, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
Moyer-Gleich will soon become only the second woman in NBA history to referee a playoff game.
—Tim Reynolds, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for referee 
Noun
Dundee had to hold Ali back from complaining to the referee about Liston’s dirty fighting.
—Mikal Gilmore, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2025
The difficulty of the game was intensified after referee Leon Wood exited in the first half with a hamstring injury.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
Too many coaches want to referee the entire game instead of coaching their team.
—James L. Edwards Iii, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
Moyer-Gleich will soon become only the second woman in NBA history to referee a playoff game.
—Tim Reynolds, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for referee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referee
Noun
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During live gameplay, however, the players — and the general contours and colors of their outfits — are animated in a Nintendo Wii-esque style, as are the court, racquets, balls, umpires, ball people and spectators.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
17 Jan. 2025
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In the closing shot, he’s seen in the near-empty upper deck, enthusiastically challenging an umpire’s call.—
Chris Koseluk,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Those next two games will decide who's going to Super Bowl LIX on February 9.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
17 Jan. 2025
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The new leadership at the S.E.C. is likely to decide on rules that could significantly increase the value of Ethereum, Bitcoin and tokens at World Liberty Financial.—
Karen Yourish,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The judge specifically said, is there any lawyer who could claim this order was constitutional?—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Jan. 2025
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What have the judges said about American Idol season 23?—
Jackie Tempera,
People.com,
26 Jan. 2025
Verb
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His father was a research scientist for the Department of Agriculture, and his peripatetic family lived in the plains states, the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast before settling in Alexandria, Virginia, where Lynch attended high school.—
Chris Morris,
Variety,
16 Jan. 2025
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Wakil, who was born in Syria and raised in Venezuela before settling in Miami more than a decade ago, was a rags to riches businessman who profited from his corrupt contracts with the Venezuelan government, U.S. authorities say.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The 1-year LPR determines rates on corporate and most household loans, while the 5-year LPR acts as a reference for mortgage loans.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
20 Jan. 2025
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The two semifinal matchups (Games 1 and 2) will determine the championship participants (Game 3), with each game ending when a team scores 40 points.—
Nick Crain,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Trump also ordered his Justice Department to take steps to throw out all pending indictments against Jan. 6 defendants whose cases have not yet been fully adjudicated — a decision that would shut down roughly 470 ongoing cases.—
Ella Lee,
The Hill,
21 Jan. 2025
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Under that policy, asylum seekers must stay across the border as their asylum cases are being adjudicated.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2025
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 30 Jan. 2025.
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