informant
noun
in·for·mant
in-ˈfȯr-mənt 
: a person who gives information: such as
a
: informer
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
Supporting characters also left their mark, most notably Antonio Fargas as Huggy Bear, the streetwise informant who balanced comic relief with genuine charm.
—
Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
In 1985, Tortora was accused by several alleged ex-mobsters turned informants and state witnesses of being part of a Neapolitan crime syndicate dedicated to drug trafficking.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Pro-Israel speaker postponed without rescheduling Citing security issues, IU asked its Hillel center to postpone an April 2024 talk with Mosab Hassan Yousef, a Palestinian critical of Hamas who was an informant for Israeli security agencies.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 9 Sep. 2025
But an unnamed police informant told other police from Prince George’s County, Maryland that Abrego Garcia was tied to MS-13.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for informant
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.
Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
In 1985, Tortora was accused by several alleged ex-mobsters turned informants and state witnesses of being part of a Neapolitan crime syndicate dedicated to drug trafficking.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Pro-Israel speaker postponed without rescheduling Citing security issues, IU asked its Hillel center to postpone an April 2024 talk with Mosab Hassan Yousef, a Palestinian critical of Hamas who was an informant for Israeli security agencies.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 9 Sep. 2025
But an unnamed police informant told other police from Prince George’s County, Maryland that Abrego Garcia was tied to MS-13.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for informant
Cite this Entry
“Informant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/informant. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
informant
noun
in·for·mant
in-ˈfȯr-mənt
: informer
Legal Definition
informant
noun
in·for·mant
in-ˈfȯr-mənt
: one who informs against another
specifically
: one who makes a practice especially for money of informing police of others' criminal activities
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share