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ombudsman

American  
[om-buhdz-muhn, -man, -boodz-, awm-, om-boodz-muhn, -man, awm-] / ˈɒm bədz mən, -ˌmæn, -bʊdz-, ˈɔm-, ɒmˈbʊdz mən, -ˌmæn, ɔm- /

noun

plural

ombudsmen

  1. a government official who hears and investigates complaints by private citizens against other officials or government agencies.

  2. a person who investigates and attempts to resolve complaints and problems, as between employees and an employer or between students and a university.

ombudsman British  
/ ˈɒmbʊdzmən /

noun

  1. a commissioner who acts as independent referee between individual citizens and their government or its administration

  2. 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
ombudsman Cultural  

  1. An official appointed by a government or other organization to investigate complaints against people in authority. This position is designed to give those with less power — the “little people” — a voice in the operation of large organizations.

Gender

See -man.

Etymology

Origin of ombudsman

1910–15; < Swedish: legal representative, equivalent to ombud agent, attorney + -s ’s 1 + -man -man

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.

"One of our key asks of the Independent Water Commission was to make our existing voluntary ombudsman service mandatory, as this is vital to giving customers robust protection," he said.

From BBC

In the UK you can complain to the financial ombudsman service and may be compensated by the financial services compensation scheme.

From BBC

In February 2025 the ombudsman decided in Beth's favour and told British Gas to carry out her request.

From BBC

The letter will provide information on how to seek an exception to the order phasing out paper-check payments, the ombudsman’s website said.

From MarketWatch

The letter will provide information on how to seek an exception to the order phasing out paper-check payments, the ombudsman’s website said.

From MarketWatch

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.