REFEREEING Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

refereeing

verb

present participle of referee

as in deciding

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

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of refereeing All of which brings us to Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon and the biggest refereeing controversy of the new Premier League season. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 Following the game, coach Jose Mourinho’s sharp comments on the refereeing decisions got lapped up on social media this week, and all eyes will now be on how Madrid bounce back against Inter. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026 Without an internal number, a company is refereeing a fight among people who profit from the fight. — Jason Goldberg, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Once the contest was underway, Perrin began livestreaming on Instagram while simultaneously refereeing the matches, making her the organizer, referee and camera operator all at once. — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 The agency in charge of refereeing disciplinary cases for California state workers was called into question this month when the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation sued the State Personnel Board. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026 Social media has been flooded with posts from users in Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, Ecuador and Peru questioning refereeing decisions or expressing disapproval of Argentina, while messages mocking rival teams also proliferated from Argentine accounts. — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for refereeing

Verb

Moghadam also said that Tehran would study the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement that includes Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey before deciding whether to support it, describing it as a potential instrument for unity.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Florida voters are deciding whether to pass a constitutional amendment that would lower property taxes for some — but not all — homeowners by raising the state’s homestead tax exemption.

— Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of deciding

Verb

He was educated at Middlebury College, and lived in New York City for 15 years, before settling back on the farm with his wife, Olga, and their children, Fiona and Abraham.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Now, Rupert Murdoch views Fox as a core part of his legacy, as last year’s family trust battle underscores, with his son Lachlan ultimately securing control of the empire after battling (and ultimately settling with) his siblings.

— Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of settling

Verb

The findings suggest that while broader insurance inflation is moderating, affordability remains uneven, with regional market conditions and individual circumstances determining how much relief households actually experience.

— Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Those designations can play an important role in determining where certain assets go, so they should generally be reviewed periodically and after major life changes.

— Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of determining

Verb

And judging by the amount of controversy that’s already been stirred up, Sacha Baron Cohen’s iconic character of a middle-class white Brit appropriating hip-hop and Jamaican mannerisms still has the ability to rile people.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
Not exactly inspired that's what will happen, judging from Luna's comments, but time will tell.

— David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of judging

Verb

The states likewise argued that the board does not raise First Amendment concerns, arguing that the deal will not put the court in the position of adjudicating news judgments.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
City attorneys argued that the city’s long-standing practice of adjudicating those cases by the Chicago Police Board should remain in place.

— Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of adjudicating

Verb

The planned center for arbitrating investment and commercial disputes, for example, will sit within the Syrian Investment Authority, which is itself attached to the presidency.

— Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
Plaintiffs attorneys, legislators and patients say Kaiser’s private and confidential process for arbitrating legal disputes over medical care still has key flaws that favor Kaiser over patients bringing malpractice cases.

— Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026

Definition of arbitrating

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refereed

refereeing

referees

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“Refereeing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refereeing. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of refereeing

verb

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