Synonyms

town crier

American

noun

(formerly) a person employed by a town to make public announcements or proclamations, usually by shouting in the streets.

town crier British

noun

(formerly) a person employed by a town to make public announcements in the streets

"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

Etymology

Origin of town crier

First recorded in 1595–1605

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 ignoble battle ends when a neighbor, Mrs. Prothero, shouts that her house is on fire, “announcing ruin like a town crier in Pompeii.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

She also told one poor CBB housemate who was getting on her nerves: "You'd make a great town crier!"

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2025

He continued dance-walking down the long city block, the time-traveling Black town crier was waking up all those who would listen.

From Salon • Jun. 10, 2025

Early SigAlerts had rather a small-town feel, like a town crier.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 11, 2024

A goldtoothed bantamweight, Freddie was as much of a town crier as Southside had.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023