as in referee
a person who impartially decides or resolves a dispute or controversy
the dean of student affairs is the proper arbiter when a student disputes a grade
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Recent Examples of arbiter
There’s nothing wrong with treating a team’s record as the ultimate arbiter of its quality.
—
Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Moreover, clinicians are winning more than 70% of IDR disputes because independent arbiters recognize that insurers are underpaying.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 11 Apr. 2026
Later, criticism also came from arbiters of high modernism, such as Clement Greenberg, who wrote off New Deal art as kitsch for the masses.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Who gets to be the arbiter of what intelligence is and who, or what, has it?
—Big Think, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for arbiter
Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Moreover, clinicians are winning more than 70% of IDR disputes because independent arbiters recognize that insurers are underpaying.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 11 Apr. 2026
Later, criticism also came from arbiters of high modernism, such as Clement Greenberg, who wrote off New Deal art as kitsch for the masses.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Who gets to be the arbiter of what intelligence is and who, or what, has it?
—Big Think, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for arbiter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arbiter
Noun
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But that didn’t mean referees Chris Rooney and Peter MacDougall had a quiet night.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Hathaway was penalized for two minutes for high sticking and visually pleaded with the referees on his way to the penalty box that Crosby dove.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Relatives of the defendant, about a half dozen of whom watched from the gallery at his arraignment, cheered the judge’s decision to cut Alexander loose.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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The probe had been crippled by a federal judge's ruling quashing subpoenas her office issued to the Federal Reserve related to a multi-billion-dollar renovation of its headquarters in Washington.—
Sean Conlon,Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If catchers, pitchers, or hitters believed an umpire missed a call, they were suddenly allowed to challenge it.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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In the first inning on April 18, Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo challenged an 0-1 splitter that the umpire ruled a ball.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Having a neutral arbitrator hear teacher termination cases, like many public employees, would ensure fairness when a teacher’s career is on the line.—
Rep. Nick Menapace,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
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Leonard was originally penciled in as my fifth-place MVP vote and last First-Team All-NBA selection, until an arbitrator unexpectedly ruled in favor of Cunningham being eligible for awards despite not playing 65 games.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arbiter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arbiter. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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