insider

noun

in·​sid·​er (ˌ)in-ˈsī-dər How to pronounce insider (audio)
ˈin-ˌsī-
: a person recognized or accepted as a member of a group, category, or organization: such as
a
: a person who is in a position of power or has access to confidential information
b
: a person (such as an officer or director) who is in a position to have special knowledge of the affairs of or to influence the decisions of a company

Examples of insider in a Sentence

Political insiders say that she is planning to run for president. The book gives fans an insider's view of Hollywood.
Recent Examples on the Web Robin Burke, a professor of information science at the University of Colorado Boulder, says some aspects of the algorithm might be replicated by industry insiders. Didi Tang, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024 The show’s gambit is to bring star power and the perspective of real insiders to analytical commentary, renegotiating the sportswriter’s balance between geeky shoptalk and the audience’s love of narratives. Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for insider 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'insider.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insider was in 1848

Dictionary Entries Near insider

Cite this Entry

“Insider.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insider. Accessed 7 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

insider

noun
in·​sid·​er (ˈ)in-ˈsīd-ər How to pronounce insider (audio)
: a person who is a member of a special group or organization

Legal Definition

insider

noun
in·​sid·​er
: a person who is in a position of power or has access to confidential information: as
a
: one (as an officer, director, employee, relative, or owner of more than 10% of the corporation's stock) who is in a position to have special knowledge of the affairs of or to influence the decisions of a company
b
: an individual (as a relative or an influential party) or entity (as a corporate affiliate) having a close relationship with a debtor such that transactions are not made at arm's length and are subject to closer scrutiny than the transactions of those dealing at arm's length

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