noun
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a person who reports, esp one employed to gather news for a newspaper, news agency, or broadcasting organization
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a person, esp a barrister, authorized to write official accounts of judicial proceedings
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a person authorized to report the proceedings of a legislature
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social welfare an official who arranges and conducts children's panel hearings and who may investigate cases and decide on the action to be taken
Etymology
Origin of reporter
1350–1400; Middle English reportour < Anglo-French ( Old French reporteur ). See report, -er 1
Explanation
A reporter is a journalist who goes out and gets the scoop on the news and informs the rest of us. If there’s a news conference or a train crash, a reporter is probably there getting the lowdown. If you want to be a reporter one day, you might study journalism in college, learning to write accurate and informative stories. Many reporters research, write, and edit articles about politics or current events, but you could also be a pop culture reporter or a tech reporter. The newspaper sense of reporter dates from 1798 — earlier it simply meant "one who gives an account."
Vocabulary lists containing reporter
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -er, -or
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Journalism Jargon
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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 Hollywood Reporter said the film "delivers for lifelong fans who cherish the music", but the Telegraph noted that it "refuses to address the elephant in the room".
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
Reporter Joseph Bernstein, who covers internet culture for the paper, traveled to Tempe, Arizona, to spend time with the streamer in person.
From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026
Reporter David Uberti writes about the intersection of financial markets and the economy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Disney said that it “respects OpenAI’s decision” and “will continue to engage with AI platforms.”
From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026
After their three-week hiatus, the young players borrowed an old automobile from the editor of the California Chess Reporter, Guthrie McClain.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
