information

noun

in·for·ma·tion | \ ˌin-fər-ˈmā-shən

Definition of information

1 : the communication or reception of knowledge or intelligence

2a(1) : knowledge obtained from investigation, study, or instruction

(2) : intelligence, news

(3) : facts, data

b : the attribute inherent in and communicated by one of two or more alternative sequences or arrangements of something (such as nucleotides in DNA or binary digits in a computer program) that produce specific effects

c(1) : a signal or character (as in a communication system or computer) representing data

(2) : something (such as a message, experimental data, or a picture) which justifies change in a construct (such as a plan or theory) that represents physical or mental experience or another construct

d : a quantitative measure of the content of information specifically : a numerical quantity that measures the uncertainty in the outcome of an experiment to be performed

3 : the act of informing against a person

4 : a formal accusation of a crime made by a prosecuting officer as distinguished from an indictment presented by a grand jury

Other Words from information Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about information

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Choose the Right Synonym for information

information, knowledge, and learning mean what is or can be known. information may be used of a collection of facts gathered from many places. The book has a lot of information about baseball. knowledge is used for facts and ideas acquired by study, observation, or experience. She has a knowledge of birds. learning is used of knowledge acquired by long and careful study. The learning of a lifetime is in that book.

Examples of information in a Sentence

They're working to collect information about the early settlers in the region. The pamphlet provides a lot of information on recent changes to the tax laws. He gave the police false information about his background. The conference will give us an opportunity to exchange information with other researchers. We can't make a decision until we have more information. The tests have not yet uncovered any new information. I don't like having to reveal personal information when I fill in a job application. He's accused of withholding useful information. I couldn't remember his number so I had to call information.

Recent Examples on the Web

Visit this website for more information on how to apply or nominate a family for consideration. — Kelly O'sullivan, Country Living, "HGTV Is Now Casting Families for 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'," 1 Apr. 2019 The Justice Department said Fresenius failed to provide timely responses to requests for information, that the alleged misconduct continued until 2016 and that the company hasn’t yet tested the effectiveness of its compliance enhancements. — Michael Dabaie, WSJ, "Fresenius to Pay More Than $231 Million to Resolve Foreign Corruption Probe," 29 Mar. 2019 For more information on how to plan your visit, head to highgrovegardens.com. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Prince Charles's Private Gardens at Highgrove House Will Open to Visitors Later This Spring," 14 Mar. 2019 See below for more information about how this started, and what the company had to say back in December 2017. — Blake Bakkila, Good Housekeeping, "UPDATE: FDA Claims Three Claire's Products Have Tested Positive for Asbestos," 6 Mar. 2019 See official rules for more information, including how to enter without making a donation. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, "Enter for a chance to win consoles, smartwatches, and more in the 2018 Ars Charity Drive," 19 Dec. 2018 The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not made public by prosecutors. — Christopher Weber, The Seattle Times, "Celebrity lawyer Geragos linked to Avenatti extortion case," 26 Mar. 2019 Check here to get the contact information for your U.S. Representative and Senator. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "So, About the FDA Finding Asbestos in Claire's Makeup: Here's What the Government Is Doing About It," 12 Mar. 2019 These pulses bypass the individual’s damaged photoreceptors and stimulate the retina's remaining cells, which then transmit the visual information along the optic nerve to the brain, creating the perception of patterns of light. — Caren Chesler, Popular Mechanics, "A Vision Quest," 6 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'information.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for information

information

noun

English Language Learners Definition of information

: knowledge that you get about someone or something : facts or details about a subject

US : a service that telephone users can call to find out the telephone number for a specified person or organization

See the full definition for information in the English Language Learners Dictionary

information

noun

in·for·ma·tion | \ ˌin-fər-ˈmā-shən

Kids Definition of information

: knowledge obtained from investigation, study, or instruction : facts or details about a subject

information

noun

in·for·ma·tion

Legal Definition of information

: an instrument containing a formal accusation of a crime that is issued by a prosecuting officer and that serves the same function as an indictment presented by a grand jury — compare complaint sense 2, indictment

Note: About half the states in the United States allow prosecutors to issue informations. The rest require indictment.