informant

noun

in·​for·​mant in-ˈfȯr-mənt How to pronounce informant (audio)
: a person who gives information: such as
a
b
: one who supplies cultural or linguistic data in response to interrogation by an investigator

Examples of informant in a Sentence

The police were alerted to the plot by a paid informant. We learned the language with the help of a native informant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The team is rounded out by Fredricks, the youngest member who provides comic relief while maintaining a positive team spirit, and Constable Sushil, a seasoned officer with an extensive network of informants. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Mar. 2025 In securing her conviction in 1998, Randall County prosecutors heavily relied on testimony from a jail inmate who was working as a confidential informant for the City of Amarillo police. CBS News, 12 Mar. 2025 That informant recanted her testimony in 2011, but neither a Texas Court of Criminal Appeals or a federal district court found that prosecutors had violated Holberg's constitutional right to a fair trial. CBS News, 12 Mar. 2025 The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and a federal-district court both ruled that prosecutors had not violated Holberg's rights by failing to disclose Kirkpatrick's status as a confidential informant. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for informant

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of informant was in 1641

Cite this Entry

“Informant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/informant. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

informant

noun
in·​for·​mant in-ˈfȯr-mənt How to pronounce informant (audio)

Legal Definition

informant

noun
in·​for·​mant in-ˈfȯr-mənt How to pronounce informant (audio)
: one who informs against another
specifically : one who makes a practice especially for money of informing police of others' criminal activities

More from Merriam-Webster on informant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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