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
  • For 80 years the lighthouse sat deserted.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Albuquerque’s fleet had been struck by famine, and many of his men had deserted him.
    Sanat Pai RaikarAll, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Market wobbled, then rallied on signals that Tehran might still want to talk, with investors assessing the blockade as brinkmanship as expectations for a possible deal rise.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Smith said after talking to Gregg, Wheels Up reduced the price to $850, but storage fees for having the car since April 1 bring the grand total to at least $2,600.
    Liz Crawford, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Hezbollah strongly rejected the talks.
    Tucker Reals, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Weinstein’s precipitous downfall came after the New Yorker and The New York Times published explosive investigative reporting in late 2017 accusing him of habitually preying on women from his powerful perch in Hollywood and blacklisting those who rejected him.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Wildtype co-founders Justin Kolbeck and Aryé Elfenbein invited chefs to their headquarters in San Francisco and then went to the restaurants during early days of service, providing FAQ sheets that informed how chefs label the product on menus.
    Jaia Clingham-David, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The women were informed that filming for season five was to be paused until production’s investigation, which is separate from the law enforcement investigation, concludes.
    McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Putin, for his part, will not abandon Hungary if Orbán falls.
    Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Although most polls show that many Hungarians have abandoned Orban and his Fidesz party and plan to vote for change, the long-serving prime minister remains deeply popular among large parts of Hungarian society — particularly among older voters and those in the smallest settlements.
    Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Then, the livestream abruptly cuts off.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The war, now in its seventh week, has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as a great deal of shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Apr. 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 17 Apr. 2026.

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