1
as in judges
a person who impartially decides or resolves a dispute or controversy
since they seemed to be in a hopeless stalemate, both labor and management agreed to use an independent adjudicator to decide the terms of the contract
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in courts
a public official having authority to decide questions of law
the appellate court refused to hear the case, thus allowing the judgment of previous adjudicators to stand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of adjudicators
The department disputes that, saying judges are independent adjudicators who decide cases individually.
—
Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Thomas Bradford is one of 81 adjudicators the company employs across six continents.
—Cecilia Vega, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Lahoud said the adjudicators follow a flowchart — and if the applicant meets the minimum criteria, the person can expect an approval notice to arrive within days.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
The Justice Department’s defense primarily rests on the notion that agency adjudicators like the Merit Systems Protection Board — not federal courts — must decide the disputes.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 15 Oct. 2025
In recent months, EOIR leadership has criticized judges for not efficiently managing their caseloads, and has encouraged adjudicators to streamline asylum reviews and give oral, as opposed to written, decisions on case dismissals.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 23 Sep. 2025
Edlow told The Associated Press that the guidance was intended to identify support for terrorist ideologies—not to penalize ordinary political criticism—when adjudicators evaluated applicants for green cards and other benefits.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
This led to many longtime employees of companies leaving the United States when USCIS adjudicators rejected their H-1B applications.
—Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Under the plans, an independent body of adjudicators would be created to handle asylum appeals and reduce the backlog of 106,000 cases, including 51,000 appeals with average wait times exceeding a year.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Thomas Bradford is one of 81 adjudicators the company employs across six continents.
—Cecilia Vega, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Lahoud said the adjudicators follow a flowchart — and if the applicant meets the minimum criteria, the person can expect an approval notice to arrive within days.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
The Justice Department’s defense primarily rests on the notion that agency adjudicators like the Merit Systems Protection Board — not federal courts — must decide the disputes.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 15 Oct. 2025
In recent months, EOIR leadership has criticized judges for not efficiently managing their caseloads, and has encouraged adjudicators to streamline asylum reviews and give oral, as opposed to written, decisions on case dismissals.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 23 Sep. 2025
Edlow told The Associated Press that the guidance was intended to identify support for terrorist ideologies—not to penalize ordinary political criticism—when adjudicators evaluated applicants for green cards and other benefits.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
This led to many longtime employees of companies leaving the United States when USCIS adjudicators rejected their H-1B applications.
—Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Under the plans, an independent body of adjudicators would be created to handle asylum appeals and reduce the backlog of 106,000 cases, including 51,000 appeals with average wait times exceeding a year.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adjudicators
Noun
-
In October, the Justice Department filed criminal charges against James that have since been thrown out successive times by federal judges.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The foundation’s judges and awards subcommittee members – the latter a volunteer group of industry professionals, academics, writers and reviewers that changes every year – also search on their own.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Because the feudal courts, chivalric codes, and aristocratic patronage that had sustained it were gone.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
That order was struck down in multiple courts.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are lessons to be learned from the two disputes, as female referees seek employment opportunities in pro and college sports.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Ayers is not among the 11 referees who were selected to officiate the Final Four games in Indianapolis, Ind.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Confusion ensued among the umpires.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Human umpires still make every call on the field.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adjudicators.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adjudicators. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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