umpire
Americannoun
-
a person selected to rule on the plays in a game.
- Synonyms:
- arbitrator, arbiter, referee
-
one selected to settle disputes about the application of settled rules or usages; a person agreed on by disputing parties to arbitrate their differences.
verb (used with object)
-
to act as umpire in (a game).
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to decide or settle (a controversy, dispute, or the like) as umpire; arbitrate.
verb (used without object)
noun
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an official who rules on the playing of a game, as in cricket or baseball
-
a person who rules on or judges disputes between contesting parties
verb
Usage
What does umpire mean? An umpire is a kind of referee who enforces the rules during certain sports, such as baseball, softball, and cricket. In higher levels of baseball and softball, there are often multiple umpires on the field. They are primarily responsible for determining whether base runners are “safe” or “out.” The most important one is the home plate umpire, who determines whether each pitch is a “ball” or a “strike.”Umpire is also sometimes used to refer to someone who acts as an impartial judge during some kind of conflict, such as two friends having an argument, as in Jane and Mike were losing their tempers with each other at the meeting so I had to step in and act as an umpire until they calmed down. Less commonly, umpire can be used as a verb meaning to perform the duties of an umpire, as in I signed up to umpire my daughter’s softball games. An informal short form of umpire is ump, which can also be used as both a noun and a verb. It’s especially used as an informal way to address an umpire, as in Hey, ump, that was way out of the strike zone!Example: The umpire called him out, but I’m pretty sure he was safe.
Synonym Usage
See judge.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
umpiresimple
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umpiressimple
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have umpiredperfect
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has umpiredperfect
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am umpiringprogressive
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are umpiringprogressive
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is umpiringprogressive
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have been umpiringperfect progressive
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has been umpiringperfect progressive
Past
-
umpiredsimple
-
had umpiredperfect
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was umpiringprogressive
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were umpiringprogressive
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had been umpiringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of umpire
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English umpere, variant of noumpere ( a noumpere taken as an oumpere; cf. adder 1, apron), from Old French nomper, nonper “arbiter,” i.e., “one not equal.” See non-, peer 2
Explanation
An umpire is a kind of referee, an official whose job on the baseball or softball field is enforcing the rules of the game. You might hear an umpire yell, "Strike three! You're out!" When a conflict comes up during play, it's the umpire who mediates and ultimately makes an official decision. Umpire is also a verb, meaning to act as an umpire. The word comes from the Old French nonper or "odd number," which refers to a third person helping two others settle their differences.
Vocabulary lists containing umpire
The Smashing Lexicon of Tennis
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April Vocabulary Words
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We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
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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.
See Examples For:
There were gasps in the crowd when Sinner slipped behind the baseline during the third set and took time to return to his feet, with the umpire heading over to check on him.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
The temptation will be to play umpire and decide from the chair whether AI stocks are overpriced and then lean against them, or to hint that the Fed will catch the market if they fall.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
Then the winning run advanced after the umpire ruled Phoenix Call was hit by Bell’s pitch.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 25, 2026
That was the same day Roberts unveiled another bit of brilliant PR, claiming that he would be a humble judge, comparing the job with that of a baseball umpire.
From Slate ● May 7, 2026
He was an impartial and unexcitable umpire at all our bedlam sporting events, a master fire builder and extinguisher, and an expert, uncontemptuous first-aid man.
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
But the umpires confirmed the home run, coupling Adell with Canseco in numerous social media posts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
Players are only allowed to take up to 25 seconds between points, but umpires can use their discretion as to when to start the shot clock while the crowd settles down.
From BBC ● May 29, 2026
MLB adopted the pitch clock, banned the infield shift and rolled out robot umpires.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026
Major League Baseball introduced its automated ball-strike challenge system about six weeks ago and, already, there is one undeniable truth about the game’s new electronic overlords: The robot umpires have it in for pitchers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
"Everything went wrong. She shouted at the umpires, cheered in the wrong places, and then she actually threw the foam baseball onto the playing field."
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
Interested in majoring in sports medicine or exercise science, Kennedy is on Santa Margarita’s Varsity Leadership Counsel and has umpired and worked with young players on their mechanics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2025
Tichenor umpired his first big league game in 2007 and joined the full-time staff in 2012.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 29, 2023
Denkinger umpired in many of his era’s big games.
From Seattle Times ● May 12, 2023
John Turner: I have umpired at many school cricket matches and have had to send off a player for abusive behaviour, so the problem is not only football.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2022
Klem umpired behind the bat in this game.
From Spalding's Official Baseball Guide - 1913 by
Pawol, 48, began umpiring in high school after a strong playing career as a catcher at Hofstra University.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2025
The next year, he forfeited a match against Pakistan, alleging partisan umpiring.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2023
He increased his goal to $20,000 to help pay for the league’s coaching, umpiring and administrative needs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2023
ET start time for the game, MLB is still reviewing the melee, which included several flareups and took the umpiring crew over 15 minutes to sort out.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 6, 2023
"I'm not umpiring this game for fun, but because you—you asked me to."
From Frank Merriwell's Son A Chip Off the Old Block by Standish, Burt L.
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.
