saboteur

noun

sab·​o·​teur ˌsa-bə-ˈtər 

-ˈtu̇r, 

-ˈtyu̇r

: one that practices sabotage

Examples of saboteur in a Sentence

The car's tires were slashed by saboteurs.

Recent Examples on the Web

Before the advent of the Internet, a saboteur might have had to plant explosives to destroy a gas pipeline. — Anne Neuberger, Foreign Affairs, 15 Sep. 2026

Private corporations have long worked with the federal government to help disrupt cybercriminals, but largely as contractors fulfilling a support role, not digital saboteurs handed a target. — Henry Larson, NPR, 15 Aug. 2026

But no regime, no spies, no saboteurs have yet matched the damage that America’s own president did tonight. — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

In 1916, German saboteurs blew up a munitions plant on Black Tom, an island near Jersey City, New Jersey, killing about a dozen people. — ABC News, 13 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from saboter

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for saboteur

• amateur
• connoisseur
• kieselguhr
• monseigneur
• procureur
• retransfer
• silencer
• voyageur
• birr
• blur
• bur
• cur

Kids Definition

saboteur

noun

sab·​o·​teur ˌsab-ə-ˈtər 

-ˈt(y)u̇(ə)r

: a person who performs sabotage