What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
leaker
Example
The company is investigating the leaker who disclosed sensitive information to the press. [leaker: noun]
Example
The government employee was accused of being a leaker after classified documents were leaked to the public. [leaker: adjective]
mole
Example
The company discovered a mole in their organization who had been leaking confidential information to a competitor. [mole: noun]
Example
The spy was able to gather valuable intelligence by posing as a mole within the enemy's organization. [mole: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Leaker is a more common term than mole in everyday language, especially in the context of politics and media. Mole is more commonly used in the context of espionage and intelligence gathering.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between leaker and mole?
Both leaker and mole are informal terms, but mole may be considered slightly more formal due to its association with espionage and intelligence gathering.