a commissioner who acts as independent referee between individual citizens and their government or its administration
2.
(in Britain) an official, without power of sanction or mechanism of appeal, who investigates complaints of maladministration by members of the public against national or local government or its servants
Formal names: Commissioner for Local Administration, Health Service Commissioner, Parliamentary Commissioner. See also Financial Ombudsman
Word origin
C20: from Swedish: commissioner
Examples of 'ombudsmen' in a sentence
ombudsmen
The credibility of papers employing ombudsmen would increase beyond measure, at very little cost.
Globe and Mail (2003)
Critical rulings by ombudsmen are dismissed by ministers as rubbish.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Ombudsmen now handle nine per cent of all grievances after small claims court fees soared in 2014.
The Sun (2016)
The ruling also raises a question mark over the publication of disciplinary findings by other professional bodies and other ombudsmen.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It also wants new powers for the local government ombudsmen to intervene in schools where discipline is a problem.