Please refer to the tourist information office.
Source: tatoeba (20925)
Refer
/ɹɪˈfɜː/
Synonyms for "refer" (293 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (59)
Strong matches (88)
bring to attentionbring to noticebring upcall attention tocall inchargecharge oncharge tocheckcitecolloguecommentcommitcommunecomparecompare notesconcernconferconfer withconfess
Show 51 more words
connectconnect withconnoteconsultconsult withconvert to usecorrespond tocounselcreditcredit withcross-refercross-referencedeal withdeliberatedenominatedenotedesignatedirectdirect attention todirect todiscussdiscuss withemblematizeenlist into serviceexchange observationsexchange viewsexclaimfall back uponfasten uponfather uponfigurefingerfix onfix uponfocus ongiveglancegohand inhand overhang onhave connection withhave conversationshave recourse tohinthold conferenceimplyimportimpressimputeimpute to
Verb(11 words)
Noun(5 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Related words (146)
indicateinquire ofinsertinstanceinterestinterjectinterpolateintroduceinvokeinvolvelaylay tolet droplet fallliaise withlink withlook atlook tomake a cross-referencemake reference to
Show 79 more words
meanmentionmusenamenegotiatenotenoticeobserveopinepalaverparleypass onpass overpertain topick outpin onpinpointplaceplace uponpoint atpoint outpoint topowwowputput heads togetherput in requisitionquotereason withrecurrecur torefer toreferencereflectregardrelate torelegateremarkrepairresort torespectrevert torunsaddle onsaddle withsayselectsendset down tosettle uponsignifysit down togethersit down withsolicitspeakspecifyspellstand forstigmatizestudysubmissivesuggestsymbolsymbolizetake counseltake note oftake totake up withtalk overtalk totie in withtouchtouch ontouch upontreat ofturnturn toturn to usetypifyuse
Verb(20 words)
Noun(25 words)
Adjective(2 words)
native reference bookurban archives
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: cite, denote, direct, mention, account for.
- Sentence evidence is available for refer, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, wiktionary, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "refer".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "refer"
Keep "refer" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "refer" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "refer", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "refer" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
22 entriesShowing 16 of 22 words.
More specific
8 entriesCollocations
6 entriesliterature referencemake a referencemedical referralprovide a referencereference sourcereferral to specialist
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriessimilar
4 entriesSample sentences
31 total sentences available.
We refer to this city as Little Kyoto.
Source: tatoeba (23239)
Refer to the Users' Guide if you have any problems.
Source: tatoeba (30841)
Mary didn't refer to the accident she had seen.
Source: tatoeba (31926)
Showing 4 of 31 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "refer"?
Closest matches include cite, denote, direct, mention, account for.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "refer"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.