arbiter
One who decides
An arbiter is someone with the power or authority to decide a dispute or settle a matter.
Judges and referees are arbiters in formal contexts.
More broadly, an arbiter is anyone whose judgment carries weight in determining standards or outcomes: the arbiters of fashion, an arbiter of good taste.
The word suggests final authority—what the arbiter decides, stands.
Reasoned decision-making capacity
- rulingFormal legal determination
- verdictOfficial court decision
- decisionSettled course of action
- adjudicationFormal decision on disputes
mediation · decree · determination · pronouncement · resolution · finding · conclusion · deliberation
Freedom from prejudice
- neutralityState of taking sides
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- equityImpartial treatment or ownership value
unbiased · disinterest · evenhandedness · dispassion · detachment · nonpartisanship · balance · equanimity
One who shapes trends
- connoisseurExpert in matters of taste
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
- expertHighly skilled practitioner
- judgeOne who decides
critic · maven · pundit · cognoscente · aficionado · curator · trendsetter · standard-bearer
Sports rule enforcer
- umpireSports match official
- officialAuthority-sanctioned person or status
- callContact by phone
- rulingFormal legal determination
replay · review · foul · penalty · dispute · sportsmanship · match · contest
Power to enforce obedience
- powerEnergy transfer rate
- controlAuthority to direct
- influencePower to affect others
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
sway · clout · leverage · supremacy · ascendancy · predominance · final word · decisive
judgment
Reasoned decision-making capacity
adjudication · mediation · decree · determination · pronouncement · resolution · finding · conclusion · deliberation · assessment
impartiality
Freedom from prejudice
- neutralityState of taking sides
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
equity · unbiased · disinterest · evenhandedness · dispassion · detachment · nonpartisanship · balance · equanimity · judiciousness
tastemaker
One who shapes trends
- connoisseurExpert in matters of taste
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
- expertHighly skilled practitioner
judge · critic · maven · pundit · cognoscente · aficionado · curator · trendsetter · standard-bearer · gatekeeper
referee
Sports rule enforcer
ruling · replay · review · foul · penalty · dispute · sportsmanship · match · contest · sideline
authority
Power to enforce obedience
dominance · sway · clout · leverage · supremacy · ascendancy · predominance · final word · decisive · ultimate
- game officialsreferee, umpire, judge, official, linesman
- mediatorsmediator, mediators, arbitrators, negotiator, negotiators
- adjudicatorsarbitrators, referee, referees, umpire, umpires
- choosersvoter, buyer, picker, selector, elector
- court rolesjudge, juror, plaintiff, defendant, prosecutor
- intermediariesmiddleman, middlemen, go-between, go-betweens, broker
arbiterparticipant
One who takes part
stakeholder · partisan · combatant · fighter · litigant
arbitersubject
Matter under discussion
subordinate · supplicant · petitioner · appellant · defendant
arbiterstakeholder
Party with an interest
partisan · advocate · zealot · lobbyist · vested interest
- binding arbitrationLegally enforceable private judgment
- arbitrary detentionConfinement lacking legal grounds
- legal arbitrationPrivate dispute settlement process
- arbitrary arrestSeizure without legal justification
- forced arbitrationRequired private dispute settlement
- mandatory arbitrationRequired private dispute settlement
arbitrary, arbitration, arbitrate, arbitrator, arbiters, arbitrating, arbitrations