whistle blower
Definition
Noun: A person who informs on someone engaged in an illicit or otherwise secretive activity, typically within an organization, by revealing it to the public or to authorities. The term specifically implies exposing wrongdoing, such as illegal, unethical, or corrupt practices, often from a position of internal knowledge and with the aim of stopping it.
Usage
The term is used to describe an individual, often an employee or insider, who discloses information about misconduct occurring within their organization. It carries connotations of risk and moral courage, as whistleblowers often face potential retaliation.
Examples
- The whistleblower provided documents to the newspaper, revealing the company's environmental violations.
- Federal laws are designed to protect whistleblowers who report safety concerns in the workplace.
- She became a whistleblower after discovering evidence of financial fraud in the government department.
Advanced Usage
- To blow the whistle (on someone/something): This is the verb phrase from which the noun "whistleblower" is derived. It means to report or expose wrongdoing.
- He decided to blow the whistle on the corrupt practices he witnessed.
Variants and Related Words
- Whistleblowing (n): The action or process of exposing wrongdoing.
- The act of whistleblowing requires significant personal courage.
- Informant (n): A more general term for someone who provides information.
- Leaker (n): A person who discloses confidential information, which may or may not involve exposing wrongdoing.
Synonyms
- Informer
- Exposer
- Revealer
- Mole (in espionage contexts)
Antonyms
- Accomplice
- Conspirator
- Bystander (one who does not act)
Related Phrases
- Whistleblower protection: Laws or policies intended to shield whistleblowers from retaliation.
- The new legislation strengthened whistleblower protection for government contractors.
Noun
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an informant who exposes wrongdoing within an organization in the hope of stopping it
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the law gives little protection to whistleblowers who feel the public has a right to know what is going on
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the whistleblower was fired for exposing the conditions in mental hospitals
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