# correspondent

/ˌkɔɹəˈspɑndənt/ (US) · /kˌɒɹɪspˈɒndənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/correspondent
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a journalist

noun · CEFR B2

a reporter who sends news from a different city or country, or who focuses on one specific topic.

For teachers: a journalist employed by a news organisation to provide reports from a distant location or on a specialised subject area.

- The BBC's foreign correspondent reported live from the middle of the protest.
- As a veteran war correspondent, she had spent decades filing reports from some of the most volatile regions on the planet.

Usage: Often used with a modifier like 'foreign', 'war', or 'political'.

### 2. a person who writes letters

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

someone you exchange letters or emails with regularly.

For teachers: a person who communicates with another by means of written correspondence.

- He was a regular correspondent of mine for many years before we finally met.
- The archives contain a vast collection of letters between the philosopher and his various European correspondents.

### 3. matching or similar

adjective · CEFR C2 · Formal

matching or being similar to something else.

For teachers: having a close similarity, connection, or equivalence; matching in character or function.

- The increase in sales brought a correspondent rise in profits.
- The expansion of the city's infrastructure must be met with a correspondent increase in the budget for public services.

Usage: Usually followed by the preposition 'to'.

## Examples

- She is a regular correspondent for the local newspaper.
- The foreign correspondent spent three years reporting on the political changes across Southeast Asia.
- While digital messaging has largely replaced traditional mail, he remained a dedicated correspondent, sending handwritten letters to his colleagues every month.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.