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
  • Negating the new map On the trail, Jeffries and Garcia talked less about their relationship.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In the driveway, next to a yellow pizza box, Litberg could be seen talking and signing to his workers.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Propped up by strong finishing, Tottenham were on 11 points at this stage a year ago, but soon reverted to their relegation-battling baseline once that ruthlessness deserted them.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Asked whether Vuitton needed to take more drastic action to win back aspirational consumers, who have deserted the luxury sector in droves, Cabanis cautioned against lowering prices.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • There is not a verifiable document about employees who have been informed about their responsibility to report health issues.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The statement doesn’t amount to an endorsement, a spokesperson for Caruso said, but instead simply informs people for whom Caruso planned to vote.
    — Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But right-wing parties that would need to be part of his coalition could reject that option.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Human Rights Watch said those expulsions amounted to war crimes, a charge that Israel rejects.
    — Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But big pharmaceutical companies have largely abandoned the quest for new antibiotics, because the research and development needed to discover them is time-consuming and expensive.
    — Zoë Schiffer, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • They are joined by other Democrats who have spent years trying to push the party to abandon its more cautious approach to governing, and could now get their chance.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Shadab completed his century by playing a late cut off Atkinson for his 12th boundary before hitting the fast bowler over long off for a six to reduce the target to three runs off the final three overs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Sometimes that manifests in small ways, such as when media relations staffers cut off a news conference early in the hope of ingratiating themselves to a player.
    — Stephanie Apstein, Washington Post, 25 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 28 Oct. 2026.

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