whistleblower
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
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."
Vocabulary lists containing whistleblower
Simply Scandalous!
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U.S. Government - Middle School and High School
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U.S. Government - Middle School and High School
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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.
Former Meta whistleblower Arturo Béjar, who was a witness in the trial, cited the now-familiar comparison of social media with Big Tobacco.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
The bill also creates whistleblower protections for law firm employees who report misconduct, and would enact new restrictions on loans that attorneys give their clients.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
But then John Barnett, a whistleblower whom Kennedy interviewed for “Downfall,” died by suicide in the midst of depositions for a case against Boeing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
A whistleblower filed a report with the SEC alleging self-dealing and other breaches by Walter and Guggenheim.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
The revelation came as the country grappled with whistleblower Edward Snowden’s leaks exposing the vast reach of the agency’s surveillance.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
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.
