insider
Americannoun
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insiders
plural
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a person who is a member of a group, organization, society, etc.
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a person belonging to a limited circle of persons who understand the actual facts in a situation or share private knowledge.
Insiders knew that the president would veto the bill.
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a person who has some special advantage or influence.
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a person in possession of corporate information not generally available to the public, as a director, an accountant, or other officer or employee of a corporation.
noun
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a member of a specified group
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a person with access to exclusive information
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of insider
Explanation
An insider is someone, usually one of a small group, who has access to secret or private information. A political insider knows what really goes on behind the scenes in a campaign or a senator's office. In a large company, insiders are privy to financial information or details about the way things work — information that isn't available to an ordinary employee or the general public. In the financial world, an insider knows things about the businesses whose stock is being traded, and "insider trading" is when they illicitly use this information for personal gain.
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:
He is accused of violating Kalshi’s rules regarding insider trading and market manipulation, fining him more than $71,000.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026
Indeed, one insider referred to him simply as "TG", a nickname that suggests he has become a familiar face.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
It’s just one way an ultimate insider is in some ways acting as if she’s an outsider in her quest to transform Charles River, which provides drug-development services.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
So far, unlocked insider shares haven’t weighed too heavily on the stock.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
It is interesting, in that light, to note that the outsider’s invective is typically more stern and solemn: an insider, more comfortable reading the audience’s social codes, can risk a joke.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Former executives and insiders agreed to a $125 million settlement in a related class action.
From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2026
The National Fire Chiefs Council said the alert heightened people's awareness and public behaviour, while government insiders point out wildfire alerts are commonplace in many European countries.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
Spot freight rates, or those based on real-time, on-demand truck availability, have risen about 35%, while contractual rates, or those prearranged, have risen about 10%, industry insiders say.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
It meets regularly with Cava insiders to advise on topics such as how to safely add seafood to the menu, which is an allergen for some, Tolivar said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Beetee takes us to another room and shows us how the team, with the help of rebel insiders, will attempt—has attempted—to free the victors from an underground prison.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
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.
