insider

noun

in·​sid·​er (ˌ)in-ˈsī-dər How to pronounce insider (audio)
ˈin-ˌsī-
Synonyms of insidernext
: a person recognized or accepted as a member of a group, category, or organization: such as
a
: a person who is in a position of power or has access to confidential information
b
: a person (such as an officer or director) who is in a position to have special knowledge of the affairs of or to influence the decisions of a company

Examples of insider in a Sentence

Political insiders say that she is planning to run for president. The book gives fans an insider's view of Hollywood.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dianna Russini was The Athletic’s senior insider for the NFL from August 2023 until April 2026. — Mike Semel, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Rooftop restaurant Terrazza Danieli also got a refresh, seen below, which insiders note was done in a way to transform the atmosphere without disrupting the architectural identity. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026 That has led many AI industry insiders to question whether Google is still able to catch up to the frontier AI of technology. — Wen Shao, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026 The whistleblower is the second insider to call out ICE’s rush to put more officers on the streets as reckless. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insider

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insider was in 1848

Phrases Containing insider

Rhymes for insider

See All Rhymes for insider

Browse Nearby Words

inside quire
insider
inside right
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Insider.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insider. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

insider

noun
in·​sid·​er (ˈ)in-ˈsīd-ər How to pronounce insider (audio)
: a person who is a member of a special group or organization

Legal Definition

insider

noun
in·​sid·​er
: a person who is in a position of power or has access to confidential information: as
a
: one (as an officer, director, employee, relative, or owner of more than 10% of the corporation's stock) who is in a position to have special knowledge of the affairs of or to influence the decisions of a company
b
: an individual (as a relative or an influential party) or entity (as a corporate affiliate) having a close relationship with a debtor such that transactions are not made at arm's length and are subject to closer scrutiny than the transactions of those dealing at arm's length

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