commentator
Americannoun
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a person who discusses news, sports events, weather, or the like, as on television or radio.
-
a person who makes commentaries.
noun
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a person who provides a spoken commentary for a broadcast, film, etc, esp of a sporting event
-
a person who writes notes on a text, event, etc
Other Word Forms
- commentatorial adjective
- commentatorially adverb
- supercommentator noun
Etymology
Origin of commentator
1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin commentātor interpreter, equivalent to commentā ( rī ) to interpret ( Latin: to think about, prepare, discuss, write, perhaps frequentative of comminīscī to devise; see comment) + Latin -tor -tor
Explanation
A person who analyzes and discusses topics in politics and sports is called a commentator. If you want to hear opinions on the news rather than the news itself, listen to commentators. A reporter delivers the news and a commentator analyzes it, sometimes within the same news program. If you're a top sports commentator, you may become an even bigger household name than the players you are discussing, and you may pull in just as much money too. Political commentators, who often offer more opinion rather than analysis, are also sometimes called pundits or talking heads.
Vocabulary lists containing commentator
myPerspectives 10.2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Karun Chandhok - now a Sky F1 commentator - says he paid 1.7m euros for his F2 season in 2008.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
He also worked as a commentator for Test Match Special and then became a selector with England in 2018.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
Progressive Christian voices, including influencer and commentator Tim Whitaker, described the comparison as “blasphemous,” reflecting a broader concern that religious language is being used in ways that distort core theological meaning.
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
“He has a lot of haters,” said Rupak Ghose, who advised hedge funds as an investment banker and is now a finance-industry commentator.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
The TV commentator Stuart Hall was laughing like a Harrier jump jet taking off.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
