as in informant
a person who provides information about another's wrongdoing
as the office's resident tattler, she can be counted on to report any unauthorized use of the photocopiers
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Recent Examples of tattler
Wandering tattlers, the ruddy turnstone and a variety of other summer migrants will be found on our local beaches.
—
Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2025
Tattling to the Bachelor doesn’t always go well for the tattler.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
Mortimer Zuckerman, the owner, hired him to replace a British editor who had turned it from a brash, tough-guy paper into a tattler of celebrity gossip and supermarket tabloid stunts.
—Robert D. McFadden, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Aug. 2020
Being a tattler or someone who is too focused on the drama rarely works out, largely because those dudes are more focused on screen time than the lead.
—Martha Sorren, refinery29.com, 20 June 2019
There are social repercussions for kids who develop a reputation as tattlers: they get left out.
—K. Lori Hanson Ph.d., miamiherald, 8 Mar. 2018
Dwight and Eugene remain at an ideological impasse, but Eugene is too busy waffling between his morality and his desire to stay alive to actually pick a side—and for reasons unknown, Dwight hasn’t found a way to simply ax the potential tattler.
—Laura Bradley, HWD, 3 Dec. 2017
Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2025
Tattling to the Bachelor doesn’t always go well for the tattler.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
Mortimer Zuckerman, the owner, hired him to replace a British editor who had turned it from a brash, tough-guy paper into a tattler of celebrity gossip and supermarket tabloid stunts.
—Robert D. McFadden, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Aug. 2020
Being a tattler or someone who is too focused on the drama rarely works out, largely because those dudes are more focused on screen time than the lead.
—Martha Sorren, refinery29.com, 20 June 2019
There are social repercussions for kids who develop a reputation as tattlers: they get left out.
—K. Lori Hanson Ph.d., miamiherald, 8 Mar. 2018
Dwight and Eugene remain at an ideological impasse, but Eugene is too busy waffling between his morality and his desire to stay alive to actually pick a side—and for reasons unknown, Dwight hasn’t found a way to simply ax the potential tattler.
—Laura Bradley, HWD, 3 Dec. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tattler
Noun
-
Rios’ attorneys contend that the case had gone cold when Guevara, who at the time was a gang crimes specialist, not a homicide detective, inserted himself into the investigation by claiming two confidential informants had fingered Rios as the gunman.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
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An informant with Talanoa Law and Justice told researchers that drugs impact the areas of the brain that control thinking and emotions.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And so every regime invests in having student informers.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Security services also rely on informers to tell them who might be using Starlink, and search internet and social media traffic for signs it has been used.—
David Rising,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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By crunching data from millions of monthly payroll records for workers in jobs with exposure to generative AI, the authors concluded that workers ages 22 to 25—the canaries—have seen about a 13 percent decline in employment since late 2022.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
There are no canaries on the Canary Islands.—
Richard Lederer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Years later, their youngest daughter, Hannah Burch – now 24 and a mother herself – shared a viral TikTok video reflecting on the unique ways she and her siblings were raised — from rules around being a tattletale to monthly family yardwork and chore expectations.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
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Unfortunately, The Croat, being a complete and total tattletale, blabbed to The Dama that Negan had hesitated.—
Charlie Mason,
TVLine,
11 May 2025
Noun
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The Chinese Zodiac operates on a cycle, rotating through 12 animals (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig) that were said to have competed in a legendary race, while also incorporating 5 elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) for a 60-year sequence.—
Kyle Lucia Wu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Feb. 2026
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Creating mazes and tunnels is an easy way to make your rat happy — and a delight to watch.—
Lisa Bloch,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Another Network reporter pointed out the songs were not performed in their entirety.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
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This recognition is greatly deserved, because Nick has owned this beat like no other reporter.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tattler.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tattler. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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