Informant-Informer | Commonly Confused Words
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Informant vs. Informer

Informant

/ɪnˈfɔːmənt/
A person who provides information or secrets to someone, often in secretive or official contexts

Examples:

The detective valued his informant's feedback.An anonymous informant tipped off the journalist.Undercover work often requires finding a reliable informant.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Informer

/ɪnˈfɔːmə/
Someone who provides information, often secretly, to authorities or organizations

Examples:

The reporter relied on an informer for insider details.An informer tipped off the police about the planned heist.She was branded an informer and avoided by her peers.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • Informant and informer both refer to people who provide information, but their connotations differ.
  • An informant is typically used in academic, ethnographic, or police work to describe someone who provides valuable insights or information respectfully.
  • An informer often carries a more negative connotation and can imply betrayal or deceit, particularly in legal or criminal contexts.
  • You can remember informant as someone who informs for knowledge, like in studies or research.
  • Informer can be remembered as someone who informs the authorities, often in a sense of divulging secrets.
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