informer

noun

in·​form·​er in-ˈfȯr-mər How to pronounce informer (audio)
1
: one that imparts knowledge or news
2
: one that informs against another
specifically : one who makes a practice especially for a financial reward of informing against others for violations of penal laws

Examples of informer in a Sentence

the informer who told the police about that conspiracy has angered a lot of dangerous people
Recent Examples on the Web The prison authorities also exercised tight control over every aspect of inmates’ lives, by relying on an extensive network of informers. Anatoly Kurmanaev, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Over the past eight decades, the CCP has constructed a vast network of millions of informers and spies whose often-unpaid work has been critical to the regime’s survival. Minxin Pei, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2024 These women are not just queens and princesses, but also vestal virgins and whores, traitors and patriots, saintly martyrs, savvy businesswomen, informers, poets, and rebels. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 8 Nov. 2023 The vast archive, though far from complete because many documents were destroyed or put beyond the reach of archivists, has exposed a host of prominent Romanians as Communist-era Securitate informers. Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2023 Even though some state institutions are working to track the killings of protesters in 1989, and to provide support for the families of victims, many servants of the Ceausescu regime, particularly former Securitate officers and a vast network of informers, still cast a long shadow. Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2023 Far larger than such organizations in many other countries and backed by millions of informers, the FSB penetrates substantial portions of Russian media, business, and civil society. Lucan Ahmad Way, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2023 Still, as Steinberg narrates in grim but vivid strokes, her phone was tapped, her employers pressured into firing her, her friends and companions imprisoned or turned into informers. Glenn Frankel, Washington Post, 9 June 2023 Today’s young people have become both informers and self-exposers. Christian Schneider, National Review, 29 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'informer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1504, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of informer was circa 1504

Dictionary Entries Near informer

Cite this Entry

“Informer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/informer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

informer

noun
in·​form·​er in-ˈfȯr-mər How to pronounce informer (audio)
: someone who informs
especially : a person who informs against someone else

Legal Definition

informer

noun
in·​form·​er

More from Merriam-Webster on informer

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