rat (on)

Definition of rat (on)next
1
as in to split (on)
to give information (as to the authorities) about another's improper or unlawful activities how much—or how little—did the fuzz have to pay you to rat on us?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to desert
to leave (a cause or party) often in order to take up another many party operatives ratted on the senator's candidacy once her poll numbers started to slip

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rat (on)
Verb
  • Sitting in one of the ship’s myriad bars and talking to strangers is one of the most interesting, and often lovely, things a person can do on board.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Wells' friends said Wells did not return to the mainland with them, choosing instead to stay behind to talk with a girl, a claim his family has disputed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • His teeth desert his mouth; his digestion revolts; his heart appears frequently to announce its forthcoming resignation.
    — Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The president’s 2024 campaign leaned into crypto to attract young men, a demographic that is deserting Republicans in the midterms.
    — Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • At the opening, Lafayette 148 NorthPark will feature its fall 2026 collection, including exclusive leather colorways created for Dallas, precise tailoring and signature white shirts informed by the archives and three decades of craftsmanship.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Livia’s unease informs her skepticism of politics; in linking the two, Kingsolver conflates class and culture, using the former as an excuse for what really just seems to be Livia’s constitutional conservatism.
    — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But Moscow has rejected a ceasefire, saying a comprehensive peace deal must be agreed rather than a temporary truce.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The groups behind the #BlockTheMerger coalition, which had amassed more than 5,700 signatories from actors, filmmakers and industry workers opposed to the deal, filed a brief with the court urging Martínez-Olguín to reject the settlement.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Industry analysts note that abandoning the export ban reflects recognition that such restrictions could prove counterproductive.
    — , CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • However, in the 7th century, this all vanished; the temples were abandoned and later looted, and Kea never again revived its trade or harbor settlements.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • When the Commerce Department cut off sea grants for Maine’s flagship university, Collins called Secretary Howard Lutnick to save them.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But the President has not yet followed through on such an action, which would cut off global supplies from the world’s largest diesel exporter and likely worsen shortages around the world.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Rat (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rat%20%28on%29. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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