ombudsman
Americannoun
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a government official who hears and investigates complaints by private citizens against other officials or government agencies.
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a person who investigates and attempts to resolve complaints and problems, as between employees and an employer or between students and a university.
noun
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a commissioner who acts as independent referee between individual citizens and their government or its administration
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Formal names: Commissioner for Local Administration. Health Service Commissioner. Parliamentary Commissioner. (in Britain) an official, without power of sanction or mechanism of appeal, who investigates complaints of maladministration by members of the public against national or local government or its servants See also Financial Ombudsman
Gender
See -man.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ombudsman
1910–15; < Swedish: legal representative, equivalent to ombud agent, attorney + -s ’s 1 + -man -man
Explanation
In the U.S., your congressman is considered your unofficial ombudsman or the state official who investigates and makes sure the government is acting in the best interest of its citizens. The word come directly from the Swedish ombudsman, meaning "legal representative." An ombudsman is a legal representative, often appointed by a government or organization to investigate complaints made by individuals in the interest of the citizens or employees. Usually this is a state official appointed to oversee an investigation of complaints about improper government activity against citizens.
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.
The EU Ombudsman, Teresa Anjinho, echoed such criticism last year.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
UK Finance, which speaks for banks, says only a small number of cases ever fall outside the deadline and victims can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
Anderson retired from her role as Police Ombudsman in December.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
However, the Ombudsman for Children's Office has said blanket bans on phones in schools are not in the best interest of children.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
Where the Ombudsman establishes an instance of maladministration, he shall refer the matter to the institution concerned, which shall have a period of three months in which to inform him of its views.
From The Treaty of the European Union, Maastricht Treaty, 7th February, 1992 by European Union
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.
