# officiate

/əˈfɪʃiˌeɪt/ (US) · /əfˈɪʃɪˌeɪt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/officiate
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

to act as the referee in a sports game, or to lead an official ceremony such as a wedding.

For teachers: to serve as the official in charge of a contest or ceremony, ensuring rules are followed or rites are performed correctly.

## Examples

- She officiates football matches every weekend.
- He was asked to officiate the final match after years of refereeing in the regional league.
- Having officiated at both international qualifiers and local charity games, she understood how the same rules demand different judgment in different settings.

## Synonyms

referee, umpire, preside, conduct

## Usage notes

- Takes 'at' before the event ('officiate at a wedding') or a direct object ('officiate the match').

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.