refers as

USAGE SUMMARY

"refers as" is not a correct or usable phrase in standard written English.
Instead of "refers as," you could use "refers to as" or "is referred to as" in certain contexts. For example, "The author refers to the protagonist as 'grit and determination personified.'".

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

It's fitting that Provincial Punk, the title of Grayson Perry's survey show, refers as much to his work as himself.

The Guardian - Arts

It becomes progressively clear that Everything I Never Told You refers as much to James and Marilyn's relationship as to the information Lydia has withheld from them.

The Guardian - Books

The slogan for our school-bus workers, "driving up standards", refers as much to safety for students as it does to employee conditions.

The Economist

When Gregg Popovich is referred to as an exceptional coach, it refers as much to his coaching style as it does his overall effectiveness.

The New York Times

It refers as well to a coherent ideology, which flourished in the nineteenth century, when the original Napoleon's nephew, Louis-Napoleon, campaigned for, and eventually led, a Second Empire.

The New Yorker

The print borrows from the graphic style of Mexican revolutionary art — Ms. Catlett herself has lived in Mexico for many decades — and refers as much to labor organization as racial struggles.

The New York Times

He added: "We have a leading role in supporting global property/catastrophe and other insurance, which directly benefits many of the 'poorest people' to which Oxfam refers, as well as providing employment in many economies beyond our shores, including the UK".

The Guardian

But when he dramatizes the tension between Michael's hopeful idealism and Eric's self-interested opportunism, Oboler is on to something real: an ethical conflict that refers as much to the last war as it looks forward, with cold certainty, to the next.

The New York Times

They call his place Steidlville - a name that refers as much to a frame of mind as it does to a physical plant - and the books that have emerged from it form a peerless library of modern and contemporary art and photography.

The New York Times

"Red" refers, as directly as may be, and certainly not descriptively, to the property or (Fregean) concept of redness, "not" refers directly to negation, and so on.

SEP

The term "black bloc" refers as much to a tactic as it does to a specific group of individuals.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When defining a term, use "is referred to as" to clearly indicate that you're explaining how something is named. For example: "Cytopathology is referred to as cell rounding and detachment."

Common error

Avoid omitting the preposition 'to' after "refers". The verb 'refer' requires a preposition to correctly link the subject to its referent. Omitting it creates a grammatically incorrect phrase.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "refers as" attempts to function as a verb phrase that connects a subject to a descriptive attribute or characteristic. However, due to the omission of the preposition 'to', it fails to establish a grammatically correct relationship. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct forms are "refers to" or "is referred to as".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "refers as" appears with some frequency, it's grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI indicates, the proper usage requires the preposition 'to', making it "refers to" or, in the passive voice, "is referred to as". This correction is crucial for maintaining clarity and credibility in writing. The prevalence of this error across diverse sources highlights a common misunderstanding of prepositional usage. Always double-check your grammar to avoid this mistake.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

refers to

This is a grammatically correct form of "refers as", adding the necessary preposition 'to'.

is referred to as

This construction adds a passive voice, emphasizing how something is named or known.

is known as

This option is a simpler alternative to "is referred to as", focusing on common knowledge.

denotes

This is a more formal way to say "refers to", suitable for academic or technical contexts.

indicates

This alternative highlights the pointing or signaling aspect of referring.

signifies

This is similar to 'indicates' but can carry a heavier semantic weight.

represents

This option emphasizes the symbolic relationship between the referent and what it refers to.

alludes to

This is used when the reference is indirect or suggestive.

is termed

This option focuses on the specific terminology used.

is designated as

This emphasizes a formal or official naming.

FAQs

How should I correctly use "refers" in a sentence?

Always use "refers to" or "is referred to as". For instance, instead of saying "The term refers as a tactic", say "The term "refers to" a tactic" or "The term "is referred to as" a tactic".

What's the difference between "refers to" and "is referred to as"?

"Refers to" is an active construction where the subject is doing the referring. "Is referred to as" is passive, emphasizing that something is being named or known by a particular term.

What are some alternatives to using "refers to" in my writing?

Depending on the context, you can use "denotes", "indicates", "signifies", or "represents". For instance, "The symbol represents freedom" can replace "The symbol refers to freedom".

Is "refers as" ever grammatically correct?

No, "refers as" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The correct phrasing is either "refers to" or "is referred to as".