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
Recruited as — or more accurately, strong-armed into being — an informant for the DEA, Rue developed an intense interest in good, evil and redemption.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 1 June 2026
The indictment alleges that the group, which is best known for its work to oppose the Ku Klux Klan, lied to donors about paying confidential informants to infiltrate hate groups and deceived banks about the bank accounts used to make those payments.
—Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Maybe every second man in those crazy groups was an informant.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026
Sandweg said one of the director's most underappreciated responsibilities is managing that internal fault line, ensuring that ERO's highly visible arrest operations do not undermine HSI's ability to cultivate the confidential informants and foreign partnerships on which its work depends.
—Philip Wang, Time, 18 May 2026
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.
Alison Herman, Variety, 1 June 2026
The indictment alleges that the group, which is best known for its work to oppose the Ku Klux Klan, lied to donors about paying confidential informants to infiltrate hate groups and deceived banks about the bank accounts used to make those payments.
—Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Maybe every second man in those crazy groups was an informant.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026
Sandweg said one of the director's most underappreciated responsibilities is managing that internal fault line, ensuring that ERO's highly visible arrest operations do not undermine HSI's ability to cultivate the confidential informants and foreign partnerships on which its work depends.
—Philip Wang, Time, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for informant
Cite this Entry
“Informant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/informant. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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
