Report Definition and Meaning
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Published on October 27, 2025
Report is a document or speech that formally conveys information or results, often based on research or analysis. e.g., She submitted her report on the economic forecast yesterday.
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Report Definitions
A formal account of facts, findings, or conclusions, usually written or spoken.
The scientist presented a report on climate change.
A news article or broadcast that presents recent events or information.
The journalist's report on the crisis was very informative.
To return or relay information to someone.
The agent will report back to headquarters tomorrow.
A formal account of the proceedings or transactions of a group
A company's annual report.
A spoken or written account of an event, usually presented in detail
A news report.
Reports of children getting food poisoning.
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A person who is accountable or subordinate to another person within a company or organization
A manager with two reports.
Reports(Law) Bound volumes containing the published court opinions in legal cases, intended to provide a reference for precedents in subsequent cases.
Reputation; repute
We know him only by report.
(Archaic) Common talk; rumor or gossip.
An explosive noise
The report of a rifle.
To make or present an official or formal account of
The study reported a decline in heart disease. The audit reports that the company lost money.
To write or provide an account or summation of for publication or broadcast
Report the news.
To tell about the presence or occurrence of
A burglar was reported in the area.
To relate or tell, especially from personal experience
They reported that fallen tree limbs were blocking the road.
To submit or relate the results of considerations concerning
The committee reported the bill.
To carry back and repeat to another
Reported the rumor of a strike.
To complain about or denounce
Reported the students to the principal.
To make a report
Would you please report on what happened?.
To serve as a reporter for a publication, broadcasting company, or other news media.
To present oneself
Report for duty.
To be accountable or subordinate to someone
She reports directly to the board of directors.
(transitive) To repeat (something one has heard), to retell; to pass on, convey (a message, information etc.).
To take oneself (to someone or something) for guidance or support; to appeal.
To notify someone of (particular intelligence, suspicions, illegality, misconduct etc.); to make notification to relevant authorities; to submit a formal report of.
For insurance reasons, I had to report the theft to the local police station.
(transitive) To make a formal statement, especially of complaint, about (someone).
If you do that again I'll report you to the boss.
(intransitive) To show up or appear at an appointed time; to present oneself.
(ambitransitive) To write news reports (for); to cover as a journalist or reporter.
Andrew Marr reports now on more in-fighting at Westminster.
Every newspaper reported the war.
(intransitive) To be accountable to or subordinate to (someone) in a hierarchy; to receive orders from (someone); to give official updates to (someone who is above oneself in a hierarchy).
The financial director reports to the CEO.
Now that I've been promoted, I report to Benjamin, whom I loathe.
To return or present as the result of an examination or consideration of any matter officially referred.
The committee reported the bill with amendments, or reported a new bill, or reported the results of an inquiry.
To take minutes of (a speech, the doings of a public body, etc.); to write down from the lips of a speaker.
(obsolete) To refer.
To return or repeat, as sound; to echo.
A piece of information describing, or an account of certain events given or presented to someone, with the most common adpositions being by (referring to creator of the report) and on (referring to the subject).
A report by the telecommunications ministry on the phone network revealed a severe capacity problem.
Reputation.
(firearms) The sharp, loud sound from a gun or explosion.
An employee whose position in a corporate hierarchy is below that of a particular manager.
To refer.
Baldwin, his son, . . . succeeded his father; so like unto him that we report the reader to the character of King Almeric, and will spare the repeating his description.
To bring back, as an answer; to announce in return; to relate, as what has been discovered by a person sent to examine, explore, or investigate; as, a messenger reports to his employer what he has seen or ascertained; the committee reported progress.
There is no man that may reporten all.
To give an account of; to relate; to tell; to circulate publicly, as a story; as, in the common phrase, it is reported.
It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel.
To give an official account or statement of; as, a treasurer reports the receipts and expenditures.
To return or repeat, as sound; to echo.
To return or present as the result of an examination or consideration of any matter officially referred; as, the committee reported the bill witth amendments, or reported a new bill, or reported the results of an inquiry.
To make minutes of, as a speech, or the doings of a public body; to write down from the lips of a speaker.
To write an account of for publication, as in a newspaper; as, to report a public celebration or a horse race.
To make a statement of the conduct of, especially in an unfavorable sense; as, to report a servant to his employer.
To make a report, or response, in respect of a matter inquired of, a duty enjoined, or information expected; as, the committee will report at twelve o'clock.
To furnish in writing an account of a speech, the proceedings at a meeting, the particulars of an occurrence, etc., for publication.
To present one's self, as to a superior officer, or to one to whom service is due, and to be in readiness for orders or to do service; also, to give information, as of one's address, condition, etc.; as, the officer reported to the general for duty; to report weekly by letter.
That which is reported.
It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and . . . of good report among all the nation of the Jews.
Sound; noise; as, the report of a pistol or cannon.
Rapport; relation; connection; reference.
The corridors worse, having no report to the wings they join to.
A written document describing the findings of some individual or group;
This accords with the recent study by Hill and Dale
A short account of the news;
The report of his speech
The story was on the 11 o'clock news
The account of his speech that was given on the evening news made the governor furious
The act of informing by verbal report;
He heard reports that they were causing trouble
By all accounts they were a happy couple
A sharp explosive sound (especially the sound of a gun firing);
They heard a violent report followed by silence
A written evaluation of a student's scholarship and deportment;
His father signed his report card
An essay (especially one written as an assignment);
He got an A on his composition
The general estimation that the public has for a person;
He acquired a reputation as an actor before he started writing
He was a person of bad report
To give an account or representation of in words;
Discreet Italian police described it in a manner typically continental
Announce as the result of an investigation, or announce something to the proper authorities;
Dozens of incidents of wife beatings are reported daily in this city
The team reported significant advances in their research
Announce one's presence;
I report to work every day at 9 o'clock
Make known to the authorities;
One student reported the other to the principal
Be responsible for reporting the details of, as in journalism;
Snow reported on China in the 1950's
The cub reporter covered New York City
Complain about; make a charge against;
I reported her to the superviser
An official document detailing a situation or event.
The police filed a report about the incident last night.
A verbal or written description of the condition, performance, or quality of something.
The teacher gave a report on each student's progress.
The sound of a gunshot or explosion.
We heard a loud report from the woods at dusk.
To give a spoken or written account of something that one has observed, heard, done, or investigated.
He had to report the findings to the board.
To be accountable or subordinate to someone, typically in a job environment.
She reports directly to the regional manager.
To make a formal complaint or accusation.
He went to the authorities to report the theft.
To show up or be present as required.
All staff must report to the main office at 9 AM.
Report Snonyms
Narrative
A spoken or written account of connected events; a story.
The narrative of his adventure captivated the audience.
Announcement
A public or formal notice announcing something.
The announcement of the award winners was met with applause.
Memo
A written message, especially in business.
Please read the memo regarding the new email policy.
Commentary
A series of notes clarifying or explaining something; an expression of opinions or offering of explanations.
The professor's commentary on the poem added depth to our understanding.
Statement
A definite or clear expression of something in speech or writing.
His statement clarified his position on the issue.
Account
A report or description of an event or experience.
She gave an interesting account of her travels.
Record
A written or printed document that is kept as evidence of facts or events.
The meeting's minutes serve as a formal record.
Bulletin
A brief report or update, especially one issued by an official source.
The company issues a weekly bulletin to all employees.
Summary
A brief statement or account of the main points of something.
He wrote a summary of the project's status.
Dispatch
A report sent in quickly to report an event or the sending of goods.
The reporter sent a dispatch from the war zone.
Report Idioms & Phrases
Report back
To return with information or feedback.
The committee will report back next week with a decision.
Lab report
A written account of an experiment's aims, methods, results, and conclusions.
The students submitted their lab reports at the end of the semester.
Book report
A summary and evaluation of a book, typically assigned as a school project.
He worked hard on his book report to impress his teacher.
Blow-by-blow report
A detailed account of every detail or action.
He gave a blow-by-blow report of the game.
File a report
To make an official or formal report.
She had to file a report about the accident at work.
Police report
An official document detailing a crime, accident, or other incident handled by the police.
The police report provided details of the burglary.
Minority report
An official statement, issued by the minority group within a committee, disagreeing with the majority opinion.
The minority report highlighted alternative views on the legislation.
Credit report
A detailed history of an individual’s financial transactions and creditworthiness.
Before approving the loan, the bank checked her credit report.
Report card
A document recording a student’s grades or performance in various subjects.
The parents were pleased with their son's report card.
Annual report
A comprehensive report on a company's activities throughout the preceding year.
The annual report was distributed to all shareholders.
Status report
A report that describes the situation of a project at a particular time.
He provided a status report during the meeting.
Expense report
A form or document that records the amounts spent during business activities.
Employees must submit their expense reports by the end of each month.
Audit report
A document providing an auditor’s opinion on an entity's financial statements.
The audit report found discrepancies that needed to be addressed.
Project report
A detailed document that outlines the progress, issues, and outcomes of a project.
The project report showed that they were behind schedule.
Medical report
A document containing a detailed account of a patient's medical history and current condition.
The surgeon reviewed the medical report before the operation.
Consumer report
A document or broadcast that provides information about the quality, characteristics, and performance of a product or service.
The consumer report warned about the safety issues of the product.
Research report
A detailed paper giving information about the results of a research study.
The research report was published in a renowned journal.
Case report
A detailed document that describes the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of a patient.
The doctor wrote a case report on the rare disease.
Spot report
A brief report of an event immediately after it occurs.
The journalist prepared a spot report from the scene of the protest.
Weather report
An update or forecast about the weather conditions.
According to the weather report, it will rain tomorrow.
Report Example Sentences
His report on the city council meeting was very thorough.
The manager asked for a weekly report on the project's progress.
Students must write a report at the end of their research project.
The report to the shareholders outlined the fiscal performance.
She received a good grade on her history report.
The internship required him to submit a report each month.
The company publishes a sustainability report every year.
The report on global temperatures was alarming.
She checked the accuracy of the data before submitting the report.
After the earthquake, emergency teams compiled a detailed report.
The teacher explained how to organize a report clearly.
The scientist’s report helped in advancing the study.
I need to finish my report before the deadline tonight.
Her trip report included details about all her meetings.
He kept a daily report of all laboratory activities.
Common Curiosities
How many syllables are in report?
There are two syllables in "report."
How is report used in a sentence?
Report is used to describe the act of giving information or accounts about something observed, heard, or investigated.
What is a stressed syllable in report?
The stressed syllable in "report" is the second syllable, -port.
How do we divide report into syllables?
The word "report" is divided into syllables as re-port.
What is the first form of report?
The first form of "report" is "report," as it is used in its basic form.
Why is it called report?
It's called "report" because it derives from Latin "reportare" meaning "to carry back," referring to bringing information back to others.
What is the verb form of report?
The verb form is "report" as in to report findings or events.
What is the pronunciation of report?
Report is pronounced as /rɪˈpɔrt/.
What is the root word of report?
The root word of "report" is the Latin word "portare," meaning "to carry."
What is the third form of report?
The third form of "report" is also "reported," used as the past participle.
What part of speech is report?
Report can be a noun or a verb, depending on usage.
What is another term for report?
Another term for report is "statement."
What is the plural form of report?
The plural form is "reports."
What is the singular form of report?
The singular form is "report."
Which determiner is used with report?
Common determiners used with "report" include "a," "the," and "your."
What is the opposite of report?
The opposite of report (verb) could be "withhold"; for report (noun), it could be "concealment."
Is report a negative or positive word?
Report is neutral; it is neither inherently negative nor positive.
What is the second form of report?
The second form of "report" is "reported," used in the past tense.
Is report a noun or adjective?
Report is primarily a noun but can also be used as a verb.
Which vowel is used before report?
Typically, the vowel "a" is used before "report" when indefinite; e.g., "a report."
Which preposition is used with report?
Common prepositions used with "report" include "on" (report on something) and "to" (report to someone).
Which article is used with report?
The articles used with "report" are "a" for singular and indefinite, and "the" for specific or previously mentioned reports.
Is report a countable noun?
Yes, report is a countable noun; e.g., several reports were filed.
Is the word report imperative?
Report can be used in the imperative form as a command; e.g., "Report your findings."
Is the word report a Gerund?
No, "report" itself is not a gerund; however, "reporting" is the gerund form.
Is the word “report” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
Report can serve as a direct object; e.g., "She wrote a report."
Which conjunction is used with report?
Common conjunctions used with "report" include "and" and "but," depending on the sentence structure.
Is report an adverb?
No, report is not an adverb.
Is report an abstract noun?
Yes, report can be considered an abstract noun when referring to the concept of reporting in general.
Is report a vowel or consonant?
The word "report" starts with a consonant.
Is report a collective noun?
No, report is not a collective noun.
Is the report term a metaphor?
The term "report" itself is not a metaphor.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
