informer
Americannoun
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informers
plural
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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 former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has said he was insulted by the BBC's response to his complaint about a Spotlight programme dealing with the murder of informer Denis Donaldson.
From BBC ● May 1, 2025
The former Sinn Féin president believes he was defamed in a 2016 programme which, he claims, was wrong to allege he sanctioned the murder of an informer, Denis Donaldson.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2025
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
At Blackcliff we learn to classify people: civilian, combatant, enemy, ally, informer, defector.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
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
Judge Sherrard said there is no evidence that informers were protected after the Kingsmills massacre, the coroner has said.
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
If they lost it was because of traitors and informers.
From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt
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.
