whistleblower

American  

[wis-uhl-bloh-er, hwis-] / ˈwɪs əlˌbloʊ ər, ˈʰwɪs- /

Sometimes whistle blower or whistle-blower

noun

1. a person who informs on another or makes public disclosure of corruption, wrongdoing, problems, or secret information, especially within an organization.

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Other Word Forms

• whistle-blowing noun
• whistleblowing noun

Etymology

Origin of whistleblower

First recorded in 1965–70; whistle ( def. ) + blower ( def. )

Explanation

A whistleblower is someone who reveals illegal activity that's been going on at their workplace. By making their allegations, most whistleblowers put their jobs in jeopardy. Whistleblowers have exposed all kinds of wrongdoing at both private companies and government agencies, from fraud and illegal hiring practices to corruption and public health dangers. Many historians consider Benjamin Franklin to be the first U.S. whistleblower, for leaking letters between British officials, an action that was seen as a step toward revolution. The term wasn't applied to the act of revealing secret information until the 1970s, when activist Ralph Nader used it lieu of negative words like "snitch."

Example Sentences

Sixteen years after The Social Network, which depicted the birth of Facebook, a sequel will explore the 2021 Facebook leak by whistleblower Frances Haugen.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Cipriani, a self-professed fixer and whistleblower who claimed to have consulted for the veteran media executive.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Nick Vaquero, the whistleblower who first spoke to LAist, confirmed to The Times several details about his complaint, which he submitted to county officials in October.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2026

He rebelled, at great risk to himself, deciding to become a filmmaking whistleblower.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

The Post said the whistleblower issued the complaint anonymously because they feared retaliation.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026

Related Words

• informant
• informer