Meanings
present singular third person blows the whistle · participle present blowing the whistle · past blew the whistle · participle past blown the whistle
- idiomaticusuallyTo disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.
In some jurisdictions, it is illegal to fire a person for blowing the whistle on an employer.
1 more example
In recent months, tech journalists at The New York Times have received quite a few such messages, sent by people who claim to have unlocked hidden knowledge with the help of ChatGPT, which then instructed them to blow the whistle on what they had uncovered.
2025 June 13, Kashmir Hill, “They Asked ChatGPT Questions. The Answers Sent Them Spiraling.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN - team sportsTo make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.
Origin
When used idiomatically, probably an allusion to a police officer blowing his or her whistle on observing a violation of the law.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 揭發 /揭发, 舉報 /举报
- 揭發 /揭发 (jiēfā)disclose information to the public
- 舉報 /举报 (jǔbào)disclose information to the public
- 告發 /告发 (gàofā)disclose information to the public
- 檢舉 /检举 (jiǎnjǔ)disclose information to the public
- 吹哨 (chuīshào)make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game
Finnish ilmiantaa, antaa ilmi
- ilmiantaadisclose information to the public
- antaa ilmidisclose information to the public
- viheltäämake a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game
- puhaltaa pilliinmake a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game
French dénoncer, dévoiler
- dénoncerdisclose information to the public
- dévoilerdisclose information to the public
- mettre à nudisclose information to the public
- mettre au jourdisclose information to the public
- sifflermake a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game
German verpfeifen, ausposaunen
- verpfeifendisclose information to the public
- ausposaunendisclose information to the public
- pfeifenmake a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game
- abpfeifenmake a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game
Māori whāwhāki
- whāwhākidisclose information to the public
Polish demaskować, zdemaskować
- demaskowaćdisclose information to the public
- zdemaskowaćdisclose information to the public
- nagłaśniaćdisclose information to the public
- nagłośnićdisclose information to the public
- ujawniaćdisclose information to the public
- ujawnićdisclose information to the public
- gwizdaćmake a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game
- gwizdnąćmake a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game
Portuguese botar a boca no trombone, apitar
- botar a boca no trombonedisclose information to the public
- apitarmake a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game
Spanish chivarse, dar el soplo
- chivarsedisclose information to the public
- dar el soplodisclose information to the public
- propalardisclose information to the public
- pregonardisclose information to the public
- delatardisclose information to the public
- pitarmake a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game
Cite this entry
blow the whistle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blow%20the%20whistle
“blow the whistle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blow%20the%20whistle. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “blow the whistle,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blow%20the%20whistle.
Source: blow the whistle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.