ombudsman

IPA/ˈɒmbʊdzmən/
KK[ˈɑmbədzmən]IPA/ˈɑːmbʌdzmən/

ombudsman — noun

  • ombudsmansingular
  • ombudsmenplural

1. A person appointed by a government, company, or other institution to investigate

1.名詞B2
釋義

A person appointed by a government, company, or other institution to investigate complaints from the public and recommend fair solutions.

例句

Nia asked the hospital ombudsman to look into her complaint about the medical fees.

collocation: ask the [institution] ombudsman to look into [something]

The banking ombudsman reviewed Ryan's case and decided the bank must refund his money.

collocation: banking ombudsman

同義詞
  • mediator

    broader term for someone who helps two sides reach an agreement; an ombudsman is a specific type of official mediator

  • complaint handler

    more informal and narrower; focuses on processing complaints rather than independent investigation

  • advocate

    an ombudsman may advocate for fairness but remains impartial; an advocate actively takes one side

  • arbitrator

    an ombudsman investigates and recommends solutions; an arbitrator makes binding decisions

文法句型

the + ombudsman

[organization] + ombudsman

用法筆記

The word ombudsman is historically masculine in form. The gender-neutral alternatives ombud or ombudsperson are increasingly used in official titles.

常見錯誤

❌The ombudsman fired the employee for being late.
✅The ombudsman investigated the employee's complaint about unfair treatment.
💡An ombudsman investigates and resolves complaints; they do not manage, hire, or fire staff.
❌My friend acted as an ombudsman between us after our argument.
✅My friend acted as a mediator between us after our argument.
💡Ombudsman is an official role within an institution, not an informal go-between.