Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of referral
Explanation
A referral sends someone somewhere, often for help or advice. You'll need a referral from your doctor in order to see a specialist. You could also receive a referral for a job, if someone passes along your application. If you're dealing with a big company or institution, you might get tired of the endless referrals from one department to another. Remember that referral has two r's in the middle, “rr,” like a growl.
Vocabulary lists containing referral
"Efrén Divided" by Ernesto Cisneros, Chapters 1–5
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Half a World Away
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for December 17–December 23, 2022
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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:
They also said an NHS pathway includes a referral into the RUH perinatal mental health team.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Her doctor had given her a referral for an infertility specialist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Rick Olivarez said at the news conference that his office has not received a complaint or referral regarding the incident.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
The Met said it recognised the "strain that being subject to a police investigation" could cause, and that a mandatory referral had been made to the police watchdog.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
One even wrote Gary Edwards up once and sent him to the principal’s office with a referral, but it had no impact and Gary marched right back into class as if nothing had happened.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
The report says ChatGPT failed tests tied to three requirements of California’s Adam’s Law: crisis referrals, parental alerts and age assurance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
Medicare Advantage plans offer extra benefits such as vision and dental coverage and cap annual out-of-pocket costs but have a limited choice of doctors and extra requirements for specialist referrals.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026
During that period, commissioners took 17,742 regulatory actions for pesticide violations of all types, but only 4,885 resulted in fines or referrals to district attorneys for possible prosecution, according to the data.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
I vividly remember many decades during which I would have to call my doctors’ offices and leave voice messages requesting appointments, medical test results, pharmacy prescription renewals, medical records, referrals and just about everything else.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
With this class, though, she’s probably going to have a fatter stack of referrals.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
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.
