refer to

phrasal verb

referred to; referring to; refers to

: to look at or in (something) for information

She often refers to her notes when giving a speech.

Please refer to our website for more information.

: to have a direct connection or relationship to (something)

The word "finch" refers to a kind of bird.

The numbers shown in the text refer to footnotes at the bottom of the page.

: to talk about or write about (someone or something) especially briefly : to mention (someone or something) in speech or in writing

No one referred to the incident.

Examples of refer to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In the Instagram Stories snap, Tatum walked outdoors wearing a black T-shirt that had ‘Kim Kardashian’ written across the chest in bold red letters — referring to his famous aunt — along with several photos of Kim from over the years, including her at the 2019 Met Gala, emblazoned across it. —

Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 27 Apr. 2024 Simply referred to as Boat Three (or B3), the 75-foot monohull broke cover to complete structural and load testing in the waters of Barcelona, Spain. —

Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 26 Apr. 2024 Other North American distilleries followed, using the name to refer to a dry-style gin accented by regional botanicals—gins that tended to branch out from the customary coriander, angelica, citrus peels, etc. —

Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 26 Apr. 2024 Particle pollution, also known as PM2.5, refers to the tiny bits of solids and liquids in the air from factories, power plants, vehicles and wildfires. —

Journal Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2024 Weight: 15 pounds | Flow Rate: 0.24 GPM | Operating Pressure: 3,000 PSI | Spray Tip Size: 0.015 Key Terms to Know Flow Rate (GPM): Gallons per Minute (GPM) refers to how many gallons of paint move through the sprayer in one minute. —

Maya Polton, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2024 The title refers to her birth year, apparently chosen to signify a symbolic artistic rebirth. —

Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2024 These families were then referred to LA Family Housing for a detailed eligibility assessment before being placed in apartments. —

Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024 Some are referred to the Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. of Tarrant County, which provides alternatives to detention and state incarceration by providing counseling, mentors and community service, helping to reduce the number of repeat offenders. —

Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'refer to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.