as in umpires
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
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as in judges
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of referees
Doha Madani, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026
The game in Italy is still haunted by Calciopoli, the crisis two decades ago that, among other things, shone an unflattering light on the power and influence behind the appointment of referees in Serie A.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
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
Whereas Game 2 was a physical, choppy and ugly game that looked to be beginning of a nasty series, Game 3 was a special teams party, as the referees liberally called penalty after penalty.
—Mac Engel
april 23, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
One can see why wrestling appealed to him—the crowd is everything, the rules mean nothing, and the referees are so feckless that they often get knocked out and everyone laughs.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
And referees are privately sanctioned.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Curry had two 3-pointers (one made, the other hit the rim) waved off because of offensive fouls that would have tied the score at 48 in the second quarter, prompting Kerr and Green to engage the referees in lengthy conversations.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
The 49ers are now midway through their spring practice session and have introduced referees and scrimmage settings into the fold as Albin and Faanes look to find not just their best 11, but also the most versatile players who can check multiple boxes on defense.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Noun
Red cards would also be given to players who leave the field because of issues with referees' rulings, the board said in a second rule change.
—Doha Madani, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026
The game in Italy is still haunted by Calciopoli, the crisis two decades ago that, among other things, shone an unflattering light on the power and influence behind the appointment of referees in Serie A.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
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
Whereas Game 2 was a physical, choppy and ugly game that looked to be beginning of a nasty series, Game 3 was a special teams party, as the referees liberally called penalty after penalty.
—Mac Engel
april 23, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
One can see why wrestling appealed to him—the crowd is everything, the rules mean nothing, and the referees are so feckless that they often get knocked out and everyone laughs.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
And referees are privately sanctioned.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Curry had two 3-pointers (one made, the other hit the rim) waved off because of offensive fouls that would have tied the score at 48 in the second quarter, prompting Kerr and Green to engage the referees in lengthy conversations.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
The 49ers are now midway through their spring practice session and have introduced referees and scrimmage settings into the fold as Albin and Faanes look to find not just their best 11, but also the most versatile players who can check multiple boxes on defense.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referees
Noun
-
Gilbert argued that none of the three umpires made the out signal on the ball hit to left.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Two umpires from the Japanese Table Tennis Association judged the games.—
Matt O’Brien,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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American Idol judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan reacted to Seacrest’s on-air announcement with a mix of shock and confusion.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
6 Apr. 2026
-
In episode three, Mary judges Eleanor pretty harshly for her choices with Robert.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Whatever the team decides, Lomu sounds happy to oblige.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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If two of the richest companies in the world are racing to control the sky, who decides how that access is priced and delivered?—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After word gets out that Frank Capra plans to see a matinee performance, a series of comedic twists and turns determines the fate of whether the two thespians achieve their acting ambitions.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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At the end of the fiscal year, the DOC determines its spending across areas like prison upkeep, the cost of settling lawsuits and workers’ claims, then divides that cost among all the people who were incarcerated at the time, Barrett said.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Moon settles into your 4th House of Home, where honesty builds trust quickly.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Once the showers move out on Wednesday evening, drier weather settles in.—
Rachael Jay,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Referees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referees. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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