Referred or Refered: Which Is Correct?

Updated 2026-10-12 · Which One Is Correct editorial team

Quick answer: The word referred is the correct spelling while refered is a common misspelling. You must double the final consonant before adding the past tense ending because the root word refers ends in a vowel-consonant pattern. This rule applies to many short words where the last syllable is stressed and short. Using the correct form ensures your writing looks professional and grammatically accurate for all audiences.

The Short Answer

People often confuse these words because the letters r and e look similar when typed quickly, or they forget the doubling rule for the final consonant. The root word refers has a short vowel sound before the s, requiring the double r when forming the past tense or past participle form.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Form	Status	Use it when
referred	correct	to indicate something mentioned before or sent to someone else
refered	incorrect	never use this spelling in formal or informal writing
verb	part of speech	applies to both correct and incorrect forms
past tense	tense	indicates an action completed in the past

Correct Example Sentences

She was referred to a specialist for further treatment.
The document was referred to the manager for approval.
Please refer all inquiries to the support team.
He referred to his notes during the presentation.
The child was referred to a pediatrician for care.
They referred the case to the legal department.
This question was referred in the previous meeting.
Do not refer to confidential data in your report.
The customer service agent referred the caller again.
We referred the request to the appropriate department.

Common Mistakes and Fixes

The report refered to the data incorrectly.: The report referred to the data incorrectly.
She refered him to the wrong department.: She referred him to the wrong department.
Please refered me to your contact list.: Please referred me to your contact list.
The email was refered by the sender.: The email was referred by the sender.
He did not refered the issue properly.: He did not refer the issue properly.
They refered the matter to the committee.: They referred the matter to the committee.

Related Word Pairs

advised: adviced is wrong
decided: decided is right
doubted: doubted is right
studied: studied is right
needed: neeeded is wrong
rained: rained is right
leveled: levelled is right
favored: favoured is right

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do people spell it refered instead of referred?

Many writers misspell the word because they forget the rule requiring a doubled consonant before the ed ending. The root word refers ends in a vowel followed by a single consonant, which must be doubled to maintain the short vowel sound in the past tense.

Can refered ever be used in any context?

No, refered is never correct in standard English. It is always considered a spelling error that should be corrected to referred in formal writing, casual emails, and all other communication contexts regardless of the audience.

Does this rule apply to other words like referred?

Yes, similar words ending in a vowel-consonant pair often require doubling the consonant. Examples include needed, landed, and began. The general rule applies when the final syllable is stressed and the word ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant.

Is referred the same as refered in meaning?

While the meaning is the same, only referred is grammatically correct. Using refered changes the word from a valid English verb to a non-existent form that looks like a typo, potentially confusing readers who expect proper spelling in your text.