judge 1 of 2

noun

ˈjəj How to pronounce judge (audio)
Definition of judgenext
1
as in referee
a person who impartially decides or resolves a dispute or controversy their father always played the role of judge when there was a disagreement between the siblings

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in court
a public official having authority to decide questions of law the judge gave the defendant a suspended sentence

Synonyms & Similar Words

judge

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to decide
to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute) the committee will judge the case solely on the evidence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to estimate
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement considering the amount of dough we have, I judge we'll get about six dozen cookies out of it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to understand
to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information I judge that the girl has had a troubled relationship with her mother

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to think
to have as an opinion I judge that he knew what kind of woman she was when he married her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word judge distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of judge are conclude, deduce, gather, and infer. While all these words mean "to arrive at a mental conclusion," judge stresses a weighing of the evidence on which a conclusion is based.

judge people by their actions

When could conclude be used to replace judge?

The words conclude and judge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conclude implies arriving at a necessary inference at the end of a chain of reasoning.

concluded that only the accused could be guilty

How do deduce and infer relate to one another, in the sense of judge?

Deduce often adds to infer the special implication of drawing a particular inference from a generalization.

denied we could deduce anything important from human mortality

When is it sensible to use gather instead of judge?

In some situations, the words gather and judge are roughly equivalent. However, gather suggests an intuitive forming of a conclusion from implications.

gathered their desire to be alone without a word

When can infer be used instead of judge?

While the synonyms infer and judge are close in meaning, infer implies arriving at a conclusion by reasoning from evidence; if the evidence is slight, the term comes close to surmise.

from that remark, I inferred that they knew each other

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of judge
Noun
Any widescale reduction in force or reorganization seemed to be on hold after a federal judge barred such action without working with Congress. —Jimmy Lovrien, Twin Cities, 12 July 2025 The judge presiding over the case of Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump, has released a letter that the suspect sent to the court. —Peter Aitken hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Verb
Vince's victory also blew up the Mastermind's lair — which, judging by the explosion that aired on television and ignoring all laws of time and travel, was somewhere in the South Pacific. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 11 July 2025 Judge Kirsten Nielsen Hartig in Troy faces a complaint from the state body that investigates judge misconduct. —Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for judge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for judge
  1. referee
  2. court
  3. decide
  4. estimate
  5. understand
  6. think
  7. umpire
  8. magistrate
Noun
  • Emotional in his postgame news conference, Schmetzer thanked Nancy for advocating for the referees to stop the match.
    — Zach Powell, New York Times, 6 July 2025
  • The case referee and the state Supreme Court agreed, which is why William Schlotthauer was disbarred Thursday by the court.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 2 July 2025
Definition of referee
Noun
  • Indiana proved to be a resilient team throughout the recent playoffs, and Jackson brought that to the summer league court.
    — Tony East, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
  • Federal agents increasingly disrupt criminal prosecutions Similar clashes between federal immigration authorities, like Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and local courts have been reported in other states, where deportations or detentions have disrupted criminal prosecutions.
    — Raphael Romero Ruiz, AZCentral.com, 12 July 2025
Definition of court
Verb
  • But once Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) locks Superman (David Corenswet) away in a secret prison in a pocket universe, Terrific decides to help Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) find Superman.
    — Adam B. Vary, Variety, 15 July 2025
  • In 2016 Norway’s Parliament decided on a national goal that all new cars sold by 2025 should be ZEVs and the country mobilized policy to achieve that target.
    — Margo T. Oge, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Definition of decide
Verb
  • Her bags are kept behind glass and her collection includes what's called a Himalayan diamond Birkin, which is estimated to be worth as much as $500,000.
    — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • First seen barreling toward the camera at speeds only the most brazen digital effects house could estimate, this mutt runs like the wind and pounces like an anvil with hairy legs and a neat red cape.
    — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025
Definition of estimate
Verb
  • The class is offered by the Peace and Justice Institute, an Orlando nonprofit that hosts workshops on topics like conflict resolution, understanding trauma, emotional intelligence and parenting.
    — Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2025
  • To better understand the missing middle, Paulsen was part of a research team that examined rock samples from the Polar Rock Depository at The Ohio State University’s Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center.
    — Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 5 July 2025
Definition of understand
Verb
  • In dialogue with feminist visual traditions—think Jo Spence and Ana Mendieta—Brontē’s project carves its own terrain.
    — Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 7 July 2025
  • Lucy Blakiston used to think working in media meant living a glitzy life wearing kitten heels, getting her nails done and working from chic offices.
    — Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 7 July 2025
Definition of think
Noun
  • The Mets challenged the catch, and an umpire review upheld it.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 6 July 2025
  • His uncle was taken to a meeting office for umpires, where his shirt was removed to cool him down, Delonta said.
    — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 4 July 2025
Definition of umpire
Noun
  • Holmes, the magistrate judge, wrote in a ruling on Sunday that federal prosecutors failed to show that Abrego Garcia was a flight risk or a danger to the community.
    — Travis Loller, Fortune, 26 June 2025
  • For the first time in history, voters in Mexico will cast their ballots for justices, judges and magistrates in an election set to overhaul the nation’s judiciary.
    — Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
Definition of magistrate

Browse Nearby Words

judders
judge
judged
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Cite this Entry

“Judge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/judge. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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