reporter

American  

[ri-pawr-ter, -pohr-] / rɪˈpɔr tər, -ˈpoʊr- /

noun

• reporters
  plural

1. a person who reports.

2. a person employed to gather and report news, as for a newspaper, wire service, or television station.

3. a person who prepares official reports, as of legal or legislative proceedings.

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reporter British  

/ rɪˈpɔːtə /

noun

1. a person who reports, esp one employed to gather news for a newspaper, news agency, or broadcasting organization

2. a person, esp a barrister, authorized to write official accounts of judicial proceedings

3. a person authorized to report the proceedings of a legislature

4. social welfare an official who arranges and conducts children's panel hearings and who may investigate cases and decide on the action to be taken

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• reporters
  plural

Etymology

Origin of reporter

1350–1400; Middle English reportour < Anglo-French ( Old French reporteur ). See report, -er ¹

Explanation

A reporter is a journalist who goes out and gets the scoop on the news and informs the rest of us. If there’s a news conference or a train crash, a reporter is probably there getting the lowdown. If you want to be a reporter one day, you might study journalism in college, learning to write accurate and informative stories. Many reporters research, write, and edit articles about politics or current events, but you could also be a pop culture reporter or a tech reporter. The newspaper sense of reporter dates from 1798 — earlier it simply meant "one who gives an account."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

reporter reporters

Thousands of people flocked onto the streets of Mumbles to watch the procession transporting her coffin back to her home, an AFP reporter saw.

From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026

Crews also attended incidents elsewhere in Wales, including in Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf, where a BBC reporter on the scene said residents were "frightened".

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Flanagan now advances to a general election matchup against Michele Tafoya, a former professional sports sideline reporter.

From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026

Some compared this event to the fictional Hunger Games, but according to reporter John Bennett from CQ/Roll Call in a Tuesday pool report, it was “more like American Ninja Warrior.”

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

One day he brought a pushy newspaper reporter and insisted Maggie tell the man that there was no engagement.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Early this month, a dejected Betts had as tough a time explaining to reporters why, despite hitting the ball hard and stacking disciplined at-bats, he’d had little to show for it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

“We’ll hold it as long as we need to,” he told reporters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

The suspension of counting appeared "disproportionate" as only a small number of the more than 13,000 polling stations had reportedly been compromised, the Austrian politician told reporters.

From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026

In this administration, reporters aren’t allowed access to the press secretary’s office.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

The rows of spectators’ benches were packed with reporters and war protestors and a few curious celebrities.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• columnist
• correspondent
• editor
• interviewer
• journalist
• writer