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
Talent opting out of top jobs is a canary in the coal mine.
—
Solange Charas, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Valor Christian’s former head football coach is the canary in the coal mine for Colorado high school sports.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 15 May 2025
Chicago Public Schools is the canary in the coal mine.
—Forrest Claypool, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2025
Hara's grandfather was a superintendent at one of the canaries on Terminal Island.
—Claire Wang, NBC news, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for canary
Solange Charas, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Valor Christian’s former head football coach is the canary in the coal mine for Colorado high school sports.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 15 May 2025
Chicago Public Schools is the canary in the coal mine.
—Forrest Claypool, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2025
Hara's grandfather was a superintendent at one of the canaries on Terminal Island.
—Claire Wang, NBC news, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for canary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canary
Noun
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Moreland's plan failed as Pedigo became a confidential informant for the FBI, adding to the federal government's case for obstruction of justice and witness tampering.—
Hadley Hitson,
The Tennessean,
17 July 2025
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Nationwide, there have been 256 exonerations tied to the use of jailhouse informants, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Over the past eight decades, the CCP has constructed a vast network of millions of informers and spies whose often unpaid work has been critical to the regime’s survival.—
Minxin Pei,
Foreign Affairs,
6 Feb. 2024
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The Nazis set up secret squads in the camps to conduct beatings and killings of prisoners thought to be too friendly with U.S. officials or were accused of being informers.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
10 July 2025
Noun
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The dye was linked to thyroid cancer risks in rats as well as behavioral issues in children such as hyperactivity.—
Omer Awan,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
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Fulton County was reported to have 318 rodents for every 1,000 homes, while Susquehanna County was found to have 301 mice and rats per 1,000 housing units.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Canary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canary. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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