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
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.
That’s one claim made by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson in their upcoming book, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, which is based on more than 200 interviews with Democratic insiders. Meredith Kile, People.com, 13 May 2025 Dado Ruvic | Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff pause gives Temu and Shein a temporary window of opportunity to restock U.S.-based warehouses and re-evaluate their supply chain management, experts and insiders say. Anniek Bao,dylan Butts, CNBC, 13 May 2025 Footwear News is the first stop in shoe news for industry insiders and shoe lovers alike. Footwear News, 12 May 2025 Cruise industry insiders say that the agreement will be helpful at a time when the region will likely experience significant growth. Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for insider

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insider was in 1848

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Insider.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insider. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

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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