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
Relevance
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
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A day after the violence broke out, streets are deserted Monday as locals and tourists heed remain-in-place orders.—
Suzanne Gamboa,
NBC news,
23 Feb. 2026 -
As Black voters deserted Republicans, the segregationist George Wallace proved with his ’68 presidential run that white southerners were up for grabs.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate GOP is not united on forcing Democrats to commit to a talking filibuster to pass the voter ID bill.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
2 Mar. 2026
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But the state now publishes legislative data through a public application programming interface — essentially the tool that lets apps talk to each other.—
Matt Wing,
New York Daily News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Khan was sentenced Monday after San Joaquin Superior Court Judge Richard Mallett rejected his motion to withdraw his no contest plea in the criminal case, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday in a news release.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
4 Mar. 2026
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McClain and three other runners who followed the lead vehicle appealed after their protest of the order of finish was rejected.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The futurist, cultural historian and Holocaust survivor who has degrees in sociology and law from UCLA said she was informed of the honor last year by Jennifer Siebel Newsom and recently was honored by the Austrian government with its Cross of Honour for Science and Art, First Class.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
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Much of January’s discussion was framed around how the Feeding Our Future scandal informed the new fraud allegations.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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No one deserves to be abandoned, let alone by someone who supposedly loves them.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
28 Feb. 2026
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What is to stop ICE from requiring teachers and school administrators to abandon their responsibility to keep students safe, or to sever trusting relationships with their students by providing information about their immigration status, family or residence?—
Tony Lux,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Middle East is a major producer of both oil and natural gas, but its energy exports have now been largely cut off from the rest of the world by an effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
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Companies are investing heavily, making structural bets, and cutting off their own escape routes.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
3 Mar. 2026
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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 5 Mar. 2026.
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