Informant vs Source

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Informant

Beyond 10,000 (less common)

Source

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 noun

Most common: Source

	Informant	Source
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ɪnˈfɔːmənt// 🇺🇸 //ɪnˈfɔrmənt//	🇬🇧 //sɔːs// 🇺🇸 //sɔrs//
Meaning	A person who gives information, especially to the police.	The place where something comes from.
Example	The police relied on an informant to gather crucial evidence.	The source of the river is located in the mountains.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Beyond 10,000 (less common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	-	A2
Part of speech		noun
Collocations	police informant, anonymous informant, key informant, confidential informant, informant agreement	source of information, primary source, data source
Antonyms	-	destination, result
Common mistakes	Confused with 'informational' which refers to information-related., Using 'informant' to describe someone giving general information, not just in legal contexts.	Confused with 'resource' which refers to a supply or support., Used incorrectly as a verb; 'source' is only a noun in this context.
Usage notes	Commonly used in legal and police contexts. Be careful using it informally, as it can imply secrecy or betrayal.	Used in both formal and informal contexts; can refer to information, origins, or places.

See it in real clips

...but it's not the source.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. › S1 E1

Every known source of superpower, thrown in a blender.

...but it's not the source.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. › S1 E1

Every known source of superpower, thrown in a blender.

Source

Frequently asked questions: Informant vs Source

What's the difference between Informant and Source?

Informant: A person who gives information, especially to the police. Source: The place where something comes from.

Which is more common: Informant and Source?

Source is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Informant: The police relied on an informant to gather crucial evidence. Source: The source of the river is located in the mountains.

Can I use Informant and Source interchangeably?

Not always. Informant and Source are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.