rat 1 of 2

noun

ˈrat How to pronounce rat (audio)
Definition of ratnext
1
as in informant
a person who provides information about another's wrongdoing the drug mule refused to turn rat without a guarantee of immunity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in lover
someone who regularly spends time in a particular place on Friday night the mall rats were out in full force

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others no one can understand what she finds appealing in a rat like him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rat

2 of 2

verb

as in to leak

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rat
Noun
It's named after Scabby the Rat — a large, inflatable rat that's become a common sight on picket lines across the United States. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026 She was also treated for rodenticide toxicity, which occurs when humans or nontarget animals ingest rat or mouse poisons, although caregivers do not believe that is the primary cause of her illness. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 Commenters on social media were quick to praise the fire department for its efforts in saving the dogs and rat. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026 The law calls for the replacement of some sources of rodenticide with rat contraceptives to reduce harm to urban raptors in the city, along with broader plans for urban wildlife management. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rat
  1. informant
  2. lover
  3. dog
  4. leak
  5. informer
  6. fan
  7. jerk
  8. talk
Noun
  • These punteros, as they’re called, have for years worked as low-level informants for the cartel.
    — Kevin Sieff, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The case was expanded to investigate possible tax charges in 2019 under Attorney General Bill Barr, with the focus shifting to the SPLC's bank accounts and its payments to informants.
    — Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of informant
Noun
  • Talking Animals Books in Grapevine is leading the second annual event, encouraging book lovers to wander beyond Main Street and into the heart of the area's indie literary scene.
    — CBS News Texas Staff, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Storch does not pretend to be a long-distance lover of English football.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of lover
Noun
  • Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, had a number of dogs throughout their life.
    — Audrey Schmidt, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Things get increasingly bleak, as the family dog’s heart medicine runs out and Jason has to put him out of his misery, and then — in doomsday prepper mode — carves up the body and puts it in the freezer just in case food gets dire.
    — William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of dog
Verb
  • But that’s not what made the duchess decide to hit back publicly by having an anonymous member of her team leak a statement to People and other media outlets.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • That means magnetized and unmagnetized gas can blend into each other; cool material from the edges of the convection cells can leak into the magnetic regions, altering how heat moves just beneath the visible surface.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of leak
Noun
  • One of State Security’s main goals, as well as a central source of its strength, is turning civilians into informers.
    — Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
  • And so every regime invests in having student informers.
    — Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Definition of informer
Noun
  • Investigators also found signs of metal fatigue at the base of the fan blade that broke off, despite recent inspections of the fan blades.
    — Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • While their itchiness to be relevant might be tempered by a willingness to give Campbell time, fans won’t wait forever.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of fan
Noun
  • In Show Must Go On, the comedian embraces his own compassion by pretending to be a jerk.
    — Britina Cheng, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That screwed up the works / And not due to his sloppy hiring / Of a crew of incompetent jerks.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • The coalition has been canvassing the state, visiting churches, grocery stores and neighborhoods to talk to residents about the issue and gathering 3,500 signatures to present to lawmakers in hopes of inspiring legislative change.
    — Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The hearing, in Manhattan federal court, comes as his lawyers have been talking with federal prosecutors about a possible resolution to one of two criminal cases against Mangione in Thompson’s death.
    — Michael R. Sisak, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of talk

Phrases Containing rat

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rassling
rat
ratbag
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Cite this Entry

“Rat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rat. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rat

Nglish: Translation of rat for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rat

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