insider trading

American

noun

the illegal buying and selling of securities by persons acting on privileged information.

insider trading Cultural

The unlawful practice of using information that comes from a source “inside” the business but is not available to the general public to trade on the stock market. This activity is prohibited by law and is policed by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Discover More

In the mid-1980s, several revelations of insider trading rocked Wall Street.

Other Word Forms

insider trader noun

Etymology

Origin of insider trading

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He said the firm would adopt tough policies to tackle insider trading.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

Can you lay out your case for this being more than insider trading?

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

“Insane, someone knew,” tweeted Unusual Whales, a data provider whose X account often highlights activity with hallmarks of potential insider trading.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

It was clear prosecutors sought to make an example of her and send a message that no one is above the law when it comes to insider trading.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

Paolo’s father was a real estate mogul who had been indicted for insider trading some months ago.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023