informer
Americannoun
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a person who informs against another, especially for money or other reward.
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a person who informs or communicates information or news; informant.
noun
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a person who informs against someone, esp a criminal
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a person who provides information
he was the President's financial informer
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of informer
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at inform 1, -er 1
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.
See Examples For:
There is something about a healthy personality that feels repelled by a snoop, a snitch, a stool pigeon, an informer.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2025
The key witness in convicting the suspects - Jack Whomes and Michael Steele - was police informer and so-called supergrass Darren Nicholls, from Braintree, who gave evidence against his former friends at their trial.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2025
Others claimed she was an informer, but this was dismissed after an official investigation by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2024
He had lived across the street from DeLorean’s home in San Diego County and had turned informer in hopes of leniency.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2024
There appeared to be reason for supposing that the drowned informer had hoped for a reward out of this forfeiture, and had obtained some accurate knowledge of Magwitch’s affairs.
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
US forces found Maduro because of inside informers, the stepfather said.
From Barron's ● Jan. 19, 2026
It was, Mr. Corera writes, a “dead-end job,” but it offered access to documents that revealed the organization’s dark secrets, such as its labyrinth of informers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 6, 2026
"It is unevidenced and unhelpful conspiracy theorising. There was no evidence of anyone being allowed to continue in criminal ventures in order to protect informers," he added.
From BBC ● Apr. 12, 2024
And as in any prison, the wardens select “trusties” among the prisoners for rewards and to serve as informers.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2023
Ames had given the KGB the names of thirteen Soviet informers working for the CIA—including Colonel Oleg Gordievsky.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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.
