ref
noun
ref
1 American
[ref]
/ rɛf /
noun
Sports Slang.
-
refs
plural
ref.
2
American
abbreviation
-
referee.
-
reference.
-
referred.
-
refining.
-
reformation.
-
reformed.
-
refund.
-
refunding.
ref.
1
British
abbreviation
-
referee
-
reference
ref
2
British
/ rɛf /
noun
Usage
What does ref mean? Ref is an informal and shortened way of referring to a referee, an official in a sporting event who enforces the rules of the game. In sports, refs do things like call fouls and stop play when there has been a violation of the rules. Basketball, football, and soccer are examples of sports that used this kind of ref. The word referee is also sometimes used to refer to a person who acts as a formal authority or arbitrator in some kind of decision, such as a legal case. Sometimes, the word refers to a person who’s responsible for reviewing scientific or academic papers or grant proposals. Referee can also be used in a figurative way to refer to someone who has to enforce the rules in some situation, as in I spent the afternoon playing referee to several toddlers. Ref can be used as a shortened form of referee in these contexts, but it’s much less common than its use in sports. Sometimes, the word is used as an informal way of addressing a referee, as in “Hey, Ref, good call!” said no one ever. Like referee, ref can be used as a verb meaning to act as a referee, as in I signed up to ref my daughter’s soccer games. Example: I’ve never understood why players argue with refs—have you ever seen one reverse their call?
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ref
First recorded in 1895–1900; by shortening
Explanation
A ref is the person who arbitrates conflicts during a sports match or game, and makes sure everyone's playing by the rules. If your team gets a bad call, blame the ref. Ref is shorthand for referee, which until the mid-1800s meant "a person who examines patent applications." By 1856, a referee was a baseball official, and the nickname ref followed soon after. You can use this word as a noun, for the person wearing a striped shirt and running up and down the edge of the football field — or a verb, to mean "officiate at a sporting event."
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.
See Examples For:
They fall to the ground after barely being touched, writhing in fake pain and yelling at the ref to call a foul.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
"We could have been helped at times by the ref with 50-50 challenges," the Aston Villa man said.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
Andrew: Outstanding from a ref on his Premier League debut.
From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026
As soon as the ref goes to the screen we all know how it's going to pan out.
From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2026
The ref blew the whistle and gave us the signal for the game to start.
From "Slam!" by Walter Dean Myers
The standout entry in this event is the “Patek Philippe, ref. 3843-1g; a unique, highly important gold wristwatch with 13.43 carat diamond crystal,” according to the famed auction house’s official description.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 18, 2023
“He is the big player who thinks he can defy the ref. The reputation of the entire BBC and its director-general depends on telling him he cannot.”
From New York Times ● Mar. 10, 2023
"Then the managers went up to the ref. We - as a team - walked off the pitch," he said.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2022
“But I’m not the ref. That’s Con, giving that effort. It’s unfortunate. You just would have hoped the call was in our favor. But it wasn’t.”
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 2, 2022
Flagrant foul, ref. he yells to everyone in the gym.
From "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander
“We didn’t lose because of the refs … Oklahoma City outplayed us,” said Redick.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026
Barry Mano, who died March 31 at the age of 82, published the first issue of Referee magazine in 1976, to report on and advocate for refs, umpires and sports officials of all kinds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
The refs reviewed the play and waved off the basket and the foul, saying they took place after time expired, triggering overtime.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2026
"The refs are the worst... These guys are lawyers. They want to be on TV too," said Puka Nacua, star receiver of the Los Angeles Rams, in December.
From Barron's ● Feb. 3, 2026
Whenever the calls are left to the referees, it is our personal coach who steps in to persuade the refs to call a point one way or the other.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
