WordValewhistleblower
someone who exposes wrongdoing inside an organization
In more detail
1. (noun) a person who publicly reveals dishonest or illegal activities by a company or government organization
2. (noun) a person who blows a whistle to get attention or signal something
Examples
- 1. The whistleblower exposed corruption in the government agency.
- 2. The security guard used a whistle as a signal device.
How to use whistleblower
Whistleblower is most commonly used in formal or journalistic contexts to refer to someone who exposes corruption, fraud, or wrongdoing within an organization, often at considerable personal risk. The term can also technically denote someone who physically blows a whistle, but this literal sense is rare. The figurative meaning has strong legal and ethical connotations.
Common phrases
- blow the whistle
- whistleblower protection
- internal whistleblower
- corporate whistleblower
- whistleblower lawsuit
- protect a whistleblower
Synonyms
informant · informer · truth-teller · exposer
Word family
whistle-blow (verb) · whistle-blowing (noun/gerund)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use 'whistleblower' as a verb (e.g., 'he whistleblower the company'), when the correct verb form is 'blow the whistle' or the gerund 'whistle-blowing'.
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