refer to
phrasal verb
referred to; referring to; refers to
1
: to look at or in (something) for information
She often refers to her notes when giving a speech.
Please refer to our website for more information.
2
: to have a direct connection or relationship to (something)
The word "finch" refers to a kind of bird.
The numbers shown in the text refer to footnotes at the bottom of the page.
3
: to talk about or write about (someone or something) especially briefly : to mention (someone or something) in speech or in writing
No one referred to the incident.
Examples of refer to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Chronic absenteeism refers to when a student misses 10% of more of the school year.
—
Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025
Specifically, Glucksmann was referring to President Trump’s decision to befriend Russian President Vladimir Putin and his recent Oval Office spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Jade Walker, CNN, 19 Mar. 2025
Grady Baby refers to Grady Hospital in Atlanta, one of those places that rappers reference so frequently that it’s become internationally known.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025
The Context President Donald Trump has long pledged to declassify the remaining JFK files, which refers to a trove of thousands of government documents related to Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
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Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025
Specifically, Glucksmann was referring to President Trump’s decision to befriend Russian President Vladimir Putin and his recent Oval Office spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Jade Walker, CNN, 19 Mar. 2025
Grady Baby refers to Grady Hospital in Atlanta, one of those places that rappers reference so frequently that it’s become internationally known.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025
The Context President Donald Trump has long pledged to declassify the remaining JFK files, which refers to a trove of thousands of government documents related to Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for refer to
Cite this Entry
“Refer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refer%20to. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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