as in informant
a person who provides information about another's wrongdoing
a canary who was singing and giving up the names of some of the city's most notorious drug lords
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of canary
Against a backdrop of teak wood and bamboo, driftwood bedposts make the mosquito nets look like chic bed drapes, while canary-yellow day beds and blinds add a ray of sunshine to even the dreariest days.
—
Chris Schalkx, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026
There is also growing concern within the House Republican caucus that Greene’s announcement is a canary in the coal mine and that multiple resignations will follow.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 26 Dec. 2025
So is the Broomfield condo market the canary in the coal mine for the larger metro Denver housing market, a signal that the oxygen is gone and that home prices could fall across the region next year?
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 23 Dec. 2025
However, the canary in the coal mine for the broader economy is the crisis facing Black women.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canary
Chris Schalkx, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026
There is also growing concern within the House Republican caucus that Greene’s announcement is a canary in the coal mine and that multiple resignations will follow.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 26 Dec. 2025
So is the Broomfield condo market the canary in the coal mine for the larger metro Denver housing market, a signal that the oxygen is gone and that home prices could fall across the region next year?
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 23 Dec. 2025
However, the canary in the coal mine for the broader economy is the crisis facing Black women.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canary
Noun
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The Islamic State member was plotting an attack in the United States and believed it would be carried out by the informant and Jalloh, court documents said.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
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Women were central — as planners, fighters, informants, protectors, logisticians, and spiritual anchors.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And so every regime invests in having student informers.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
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The whole family is deeply involved in the revolutionary movement: the oldest son disappears into Siberia, never to be seen or heard of again, while the youngest, eighteen, is jailed together with his father, and executed after his cell is exposed by an informer.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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After a rat raised questions about health and safety at The Urban Tap, the owner says the South Side business is ready to gain back the public's trust.—
Mamie Bah,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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To them, rats are a Treasure Valley issue.—
Mark Dee
March 17,
Idaho Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canary. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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