insider

noun in·sid·er \ (ˌ)in-ˈsī-dər , ˈin-ˌsī- \

Updated on: 13 Oct 2017

Definition of insider

: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

See insider defined for English-language learners

See insider defined for kids

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 of insider from the Web

In response to the announcement that Edward-Elmhurst Health plans to make $50 million in budget cuts: •good timing, or insider info?

— Naperville Sun, "Readers Respond," 25 Aug. 2017
The governor’s office strongly opposed his selection because he was seen as a political insider with a hand in Opa-locka’s past financial troubles.

— jay weaver, miamiherald, "Disgusted reformers say Opa-locka’s too crooked to save. They want it abolished.," 21 Aug. 2017
Now both Wanda and that billionaire, Xiao Jianhua, are under official pressure in China — and one Wanda insider says that may not be a coincidence.

— michael forsythe, New York Times, "A Missing Tycoon’s Links to China’s Troubled Dalian Wanda," 10 Aug. 2017
An invention of Progressive-era intellectuals, the magazine had, over the decades, became something close to a cult, catering to a loyal group that wanted to read insider writing about politics and highbrow meditations on culture.

— franklin foer, The Atlantic, "When Silicon Valley Took Over Journalism," 8 Aug. 2017
All three companies have multiple share classes that empower insiders with super voting rights to seal or block potential deals.

— alex sherman, chicagotribune.com, "Scripps deal talks won't solve challenges of skinny bundle world," 19 July 2017
Insiders close to the project indicate that while no one is attached or has read for a part yet, Tarantino is expected to court A-list talent.

— justin kroll, chicagotribune.com, "Quentin Tarantino developing film about Manson Family murders," 12 July 2017
Industry insiders say Switzerland is one of the few nations moving in the right direction.

— sonia zhuravlyova, MSNBC Newsweek, "The Future of Money: Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrency Technologies Are a Way of Life in This Small Swiss Town," 11 July 2017
Business Insider reports the kiosks are also available in Arizona, Oklahoma, Georgia and Virginia.

— lucy berry, AL.com, "Giant self-service order kiosks now available at Walmarts in Alabama," 5 July 2017

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

First Known Use of insider

1848

Financial Definition of INSIDER

insider

noun

What It Is

An insider is an employee, director or any other person who is privy to confidential, nonpublic information about a company.

How It Works

Given their position, managers and executives within a company are privy to information about a company's operations that is not available to the investing public. The news and details of an upcoming merger or special dividend that have not yet been announced are two examples of insider information. Once information has been made public by the company, it is no longer considered "insider" information.

Why It Matters

Individuals with access to insider information have an unfair advantage in the market. Using this information to base a trade is an illegal practice known as "insider trading."

It is also illegal for a person with insider information to pass it to a third party so that they may use the information to profit.

Source: Investing Answers

INSIDER Defined for English Language Learners

insider

noun

Definition of insider for English Language Learners

: a person who belongs to a group or organization and has special knowledge about it

INSIDER Defined for Kids

insider

noun in·sid·er \ in-ˈsī-dər \

Definition of insider for Students

:a member of a group or organization who has information about it

Law Dictionary

insider

noun in·sid·er

legal Definition of insider

: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