REFER: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for REFER?

Need another word that means the same as “refer”? Find 77 synonyms and 30 related words for “refer” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Refer” are: bear on, come to, concern, have to do with, pertain, relate, touch, touch on, consult, look up, denote, advert, bring up, cite, mention, name, make mention of, make reference to, allude to, speak about, speak of, talk about, talk of, write about, comment on, deal with, go into, treat, treat of, note, point out, call attention to, raise, broach, introduce, pass, hand on, send on, transfer, remit, direct, leave, commit, entrust, assign, hand over, apply to, be relevant to, have relevance to, relate to, belong to, be about, be connected with, have reference to, pertain to, appertain to, be pertinent to, have a bearing on, affect, involve, cover, describe, indicate, mean, depict, symbolize, signify, designate, stand for, represent, turn to, look at, look up in, seek information from, search in, have recourse to, call on

Refer as a Verb

Definitions of "Refer" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “refer” as a verb can have the following definitions:

• Have as a meaning.
• Pass a matter to (a higher body) for a decision.
• (of a word, phrase, or symbol) describe or denote; have as a referent.
• Use a name to designate.
• Think of, regard, or classify under a subsuming principle or with a general group or in relation to another.
• Mention or allude to.
• Regard something as belonging to (a certain period, place, or class.
• Read or otherwise use (a source of information) in order to ascertain something; consult.
• Send or direct for treatment, information, or a decision.
• Fail (a candidate in an examination.
• Direct the attention of someone to.
• Seek information from.
• Send or direct someone to a medical specialist.
• Be relevant to.
• Make reference to.
• Trace or attribute something to (someone or something) as a cause or source.

Synonyms of "Refer" as a verb (77 Words)

advert	Make a more or less disguised reference to.
affect	Have an effect on; make a difference to. The medicine affects my heart rate.
allude to	Make a more or less disguised reference to.
appertain to	Be a part or attribute of.
apply to	Apply to a surface.
assign	Give an assignment to a person to a post or assign a task to a person. We were assigned new uniforms.
be about	Be identical to; be someone or something.
be connected with	To remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted — used only in infinitive form.
be pertinent to	Be identical to; be someone or something.
be relevant to	Have life, be alive.
bear on	Behave in a certain manner.
belong to	Be in the right place or situation.
bring up	Be accompanied by.
broach	Bring up a topic for discussion. The salmon broach then fall to slap the water.
call attention to	Give the calls (to the dancers) for a square dance.
call on	Make a prediction about; tell in advance.
cite	Advance evidence for. Authors who are highly regarded by their peers tend to be cited.
come to	Come to pass arrive as in due course.
comment on	Make or write a comment on.
commit	Refer a parliamentary or legislative bill to a committee. He composed a letter but didn t commit it to paper.
concern	Regard it as important to do something. I was mainly concerned with making something that children could enjoy.
consult	Advise professionally. The government must consult with interested bodies.
cover	Cover as if with a shroud. Other artists who have covered the song include U2.
deal with	Do business; offer for sale as for one’s livelihood.
denote	Make known; make an announcement. The level of output per firm is denoted by X.
depict	Portray in words; describe. This scene depicts country life.
describe	Give a detailed account in words of. A single light is seen to describe a circle.
designate	Decree or designate beforehand. Certain schools are designated science schools.
direct	Give directions to point somebody into a certain direction. His smile was directed at Lois.
entrust	Put into the care or protection of someone. You persuade people to entrust their savings to you.
go into	Give support (to) or make a choice (of) one out of a group or number.
hand on	Guide or conduct or usher somewhere.
hand over	Place into the hands or custody of.
have a bearing on	Get something; come into possession of.
have recourse to	Achieve a point or goal.
have reference to	Cause to move; cause to be in a certain position or condition.
have relevance to	Cause to be born.
have to do with	Serve oneself to, or consume regularly.
indicate	Indicate a place direction person or thing either spatially or figuratively. Treatment for shock may be indicated.
introduce	Put or introduce into something. A longer more lyrical opening which introduces a courting song.
involve	Contain as a part. This decision involves many changes.
leave	Leave unchanged or undisturbed or refrain from taking. The parts he disliked he would alter and the parts he didn t dislike he d leave.
look at	Look forward to the probable occurrence of.
look up	Have faith or confidence in.
look up in	Have a certain outward or facial expression.
make mention of	Cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner.
make reference to	Achieve a point or goal.
mean	Mean or intend to express or convey. Coal stoves mean a lot of smoke.
mention	Make mention of. I mentioned that my father was meeting me later.
name	Give or make a list of name individually give the names of. Name your accomplices.
note	Make a written note of. She noted everything the teacher said that morning.
pass	Pass into a specified state or condition. Smith passed.
pertain	Be in effect or existence in a specified place or at a specified time. My remark pertained to your earlier comments.
pertain to	Be relevant to.
point out	Repair the joints of bricks.
raise	Multiply a number by itself a specified number of times 8 is 2 raised to the power 3. Raise the roof.
relate	Give an account of. How are these two observations related.
relate to	Have or establish a relationship to.
remit	Send (money) in payment or as a gift. The taxes were remitted.
represent	Be representative or typical for. We cannot represent this knowledge to our formal reason.
search in	Subject to a search.
seek information from	Go to or towards.
send on	Transfer.
signify	(among black Americans) exchange boasts or insults as a game or ritual. The church used this image to signify the Holy Trinity.
speak about	Exchange thoughts; talk with.
speak of	Exchange thoughts; talk with.
stand for	Be in some specified state or condition.
symbolize	Be a symbol of. A tendency to symbolize the father as the sun.
talk about	Reveal information.
talk of	Use language.
touch	Used to indicate that something is avoided or rejected. For a moment their fingers touched.
touch on	Perceive via the tactile sense.
transfer	Transfer from one place or period to another. Passengers have to transfer at Heathrow for onward international flights.
treat	Provide treatment for. He treated her to a slap up lunch.
treat of	Interact in a certain way.
turn to	Change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense.
write about	Write music.

Usage Examples of "Refer" as a verb

• Refer a bill to a committee.
• The prisoner may require the Secretary of State to refer his case to the Parole Board.
• I refer my honourable friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
• I always refer to a dictionary when I come upon a new word.
• This plant can be referred to a known species.
• The star refers to items which are intended for the advanced learner.
• Refer a patient to a specialist.
• Her mother never referred to him again.
• You went wrong when you referred all legislation to a part of virtue.
• There were lots of questions referring to her talk.
• Christians refer to the mother of Jesus as the Virgin Mary.
• The Royal Navy is referred to as the Senior Service.
• Twenty-four students passed the prescribed test while four students were referred.
• The God to whom he habitually referred his highest inspirations.
• She was referred to a clinical psychologist for counselling.
• Refer to your notes.

Associations of "Refer" (30 Words)

advert	An advertisement.
aforementioned	Being the one previously mentioned or spoken of. Works of all the aforementioned authors.
aforesaid	Being the one previously mentioned or spoken of.
allude	Make a more or less disguised reference to. The photographs allude to Italian Baroque painting.
allusion	The practice of making allusions. An allusion to Shakespeare.
annotate	Provide interlinear explanations for words or phrases. He annotated on what his teacher had written.
annotation	A note by way of explanation or comment added to a text or diagram. Annotation of prescribed texts.
ascribe	Regard a text, quotation, or work of art as being produced by or belonging to (a particular person or period. He ascribed Jane s short temper to her upset stomach.
citation	A short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage. This journal contains citations from all jurisdictions.
cite	Commend. He has been cited many times for his contributions in the intelligence area.
consultation	The act of referring or consulting. A consultation with a homeopathic doctor.
declaim	Speak against in an impassioned manner. A preacher declaiming from the pulpit.
denote	Have as a meaning. Her smile denoted that she agreed.
descriptive	Of or relating to an approach to linguistic analysis that aims at the description of a language’s forms, structures and usage. The text contains some good descriptive passages.
enunciation	The articulation of speech regarded from the point of view of its intelligibility to the audience.
fact	Information used as evidence or as part of a report or news article. Even the most inventive journalism peters out without facts and in this case there were no facts.
foregoing	Just mentioned or stated; preceding. The foregoing analysis of the economic class structure.
imply	Suggest that someone is guilty. Salesmen who use jargon to imply superior knowledge.
impute	Attribute or credit to. Christ s righteousness has been imputed to us.
maxim	A short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct. The maxim that actions speak louder than words.
mention	An instance of being mentioned in dispatches. Two other points are worthy of mention.
notation	A note or annotation. He noticed the notations in the margin.
note	A written sign representing the pitch and duration of a musical note. She noted that someone was following her.
observe	Observe with care or pay close attention to. She observed that all the chairs were already occupied.
ostensive	Directly demonstrative.
quotation	The action of quoting from a text, speech, piece of music, or work of art. Ensure you receive a written quotation covering all aspects of the job.
quote	A passage or expression that is quoted or cited. Quote prices for cars.
reference	Provide (a book or article) with citations of sources of information. References to Darwinism and evolution.
remark	Explicit notice. It passed without remark.
specify	Specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement make an express demand or provision in an agreement. The agency failed to specify that the workers were not their employees.