# refer vs referee

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### refer
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈfɜː/ · frequency rank #3,330*
To direct the attention of (someone toward something)

### referee
*noun · IPA /ˌɹɛf.əˈɹiː/ · frequency rank #8,848*
An umpire or judge; an official who makes sure the rules are followed during a game.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/refer-vs-referee