Synonyms

refer

American

[ri-fur] / rɪˈfɜr /

verb (used with object)

to direct for information or anything required.

He referred me to books on astrology.
to direct the attention or thoughts of.

The asterisk refers the reader to a footnote.
to hand over or submit for information, consideration, treatment, assistance, decision, etc..

They were forced to refer the argument to arbitration.
The doctor will decide whether to carry out blood tests in the office or to refer the patient to a hospital.
to recommend.

My electrician went above and beyond, and I would definitely refer her to a friend.
to assign to a class, period, etc.; regard as belonging or related.

Animals referred to the phylum Platyhelminthes are also known as flatworms due to their flattened bodies.

Synonyms:

impute, ascribe, attribute

verb phrase

refer to
1. to have recourse or resort to; turn to, as for aid or information.
  
  I can't remember the answer offhand, so I'll have to refer to my notes.
2. to mention; speak briefly of.
  
  The author referred to his teachers twice in the article.
3. to relate to; apply to; mean or denote.
  
  The term “contingency fee” refers to an arrangement where legal fees are due to the attorney only if the case is successful.
4. to direct attention to, as a reference mark does.
  
  Each number refers to an endnote.

refer British

/ rɪˈfɜːrəbəl, rɪˈfɜː, ˈrɛfərəbəl /

verb

(intr) to make mention (of)
(tr) to direct the attention of (someone) for information, facts, etc

the reader is referred to Chomsky, 1965
(intr) to seek information (from)

I referred to a dictionary of English usage
he referred to his notes
(intr) to be relevant (to); pertain or relate (to)

this song refers to an incident in the Civil War
(tr) to assign or attribute

Cromwell referred his victories to God
(tr) to hand over for consideration, reconsideration, or decision

to refer a complaint to another department
(tr) to hand back to the originator as unacceptable or unusable
(tr) to fail (a student) in an examination
(tr) to send back (a thesis) to a student for improvement
a request by a bank that the payee consult the drawer concerning a cheque payable by that bank (usually because the drawer has insufficient funds in his account), payment being suspended in the meantime
(tr) to direct (a patient) for treatment to another doctor, usually a specialist
(tr) social welfare to direct (a client) to another agency or professional for a service

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

The common practice of adding back to refer is tautologous, since this meaning is already contained in the re- of refer: this refers to (not back to ) what has already been said . However, when refer is used in the sense of passing a document or question for further consideration to the person from whom it was received, it may be appropriate to say he referred the matter back

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of refer

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English referren, from Latin referre “to bring back,” from re- re- + ferre “to bear, bring, carry”; see also bear ¹

Explanation

If you refer to something, you consult it. To check your spelling, you refer to a dictionary. If you want to know when your spring break starts, you can refer to your class schedule. Refer is made up of two very useful Latin roots: re- "back" and ferre "carry," and when one thing refers to another, one meaning “carries back” to the other — there’s some kind of connection. "The term “Spaghetti Western” refers to a kind of Western often filmed in Italy by Italian filmmakers, in Italian." If you have a mysterious rash, your doctor might refer you — send you — to an allergist.

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Vocabulary lists containing refer

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Scientists refer to this as a Trojan horse effect, and the researchers say it may also play a role in the spread of antibiotic resistance.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026

The Disney character adorns her golf bag and is her driver headcover, and her fans refer to themselves as the “Flying Dumbos.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

"I think some people refer to that as a mini-Hong Kong or mini-China," he said, adding that developments in Trumpington and Eddington were also sought after.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Healthcare executives refer to this as “consumer-driven healthcare.”

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

The book to which I refer is Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance, by a Canadian academic named Stephen Herrero.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023