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
If your husband does not agree to maintain a kosher household post-divorce, in my experience, a judge is not going to require him to honor that practice for the children. —Wendy Hickey, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025 Finally, in August, a judge ruled that Lehrer and Snyder would stand trial for murder, with an indictment pending for September, but the indictment and trial have yet to transpire. —Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
The finalists will be judged in a range of categories, including ones for reptiles, insects and fish, as well as for younger photographers. —Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025 Dance Commandr will judge the costume contest. —Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 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
  • Thibodeaux emerged from the turf with the ball, but referees ruled that the quarterback’s forward progress had stalled, meaning no change of possession occurred.
    — Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
  • As Hazan and many others inside professional and college sports told me, the leagues can’t possibly stop every player, coach, and referee from betting.
    — Danny Funt, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of referee
Noun
  • Mowitz’s estranged wife, Jillian Green, testified during a June 16 deposition amid their divorce, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.
    — Sarah Jones, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
  • A lot of the Raptors’ intention in the half-court was devoted to getting Ingram the basketball — not a surprise given his skills.
    — Eric Koreen, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Definition of court
Verb
  • However, before Eleven Labs even had a concrete product, Reina, who was working at Palantir Technologies at the time, decided to take a chance on the firm after meeting Staniszewski.
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Congress decided to make daylight saving time permanent for two years from 1973 to 1975, extending the hours of daily sunlight year-round to conserve energy during the oil embargo crisis.
    — Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Oct. 2025
Definition of decide
Verb
  • The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates that the total amount of federal relief measures taken after the COVID-19 pandemic—much of which was Former President Biden’s policies— amounted to $5 trillion, resulting in deficits not seen outside of wartime.
    — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Melissa is among only three Atlantic storms to make landfall with winds estimated at 185 mph.
    — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of estimate
Verb
  • Of course, a reliable method for measuring a team’s performance is to use underlying metrics to understand the team’s process more than its outcomes.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The clip then smash-cuts to a scene of Bruce as a child listening to his parents fight in the next room, and we’re meant to understand that the joy and power that steams off of the stage is a cure for the pain of childhood wounds.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of understand
Verb
  • And if your gifts are on the heavier side, think homemade treats, books, or candles; flat-rate boxes can be your best friend since the price stays the same no matter how far the package travels.
    — Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
  • As gutting as that was, the team received uplifting news on each player Monday indicating that neither injury was as serious as initially thought.
    — Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of think
Noun
  • Vitello himself was suspended four games by the NCAA for chest-bumping an umpire during an argument in 2022.
    — Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The umpire called Robinson safe, while Berra animatedly disagreed.
    — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Definition of umpire
Noun
  • Clay also appeared in two small-claims cases tied to unpaid bills, one from a utility company in 2005 that was voluntarily dismissed, and another from 2010 that was denied by a magistrate, according to Cabarrus County court records.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The audit also revealed that Bowman allegedly held some bail funds for far longer than bail magistrate rules permitted.
    — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 21 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 2025.

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