rats 1 of 3

interjection

ˈrats How to pronounce rats (audio)
Definition of ratsnext
as in boo
used to express disgust rats, I can't believe anyone would say such a hateful thing

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rats

2 of 3

noun

plural of rat
1
as in informants
a person who provides information about another's wrongdoing the drug mule refused to turn rat without a guarantee of immunity

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

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3
as in dogs
a person whose behavior is offensive to others no one can understand what she finds appealing in a rat like him

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rats

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of rat
as in leaks

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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 rats
Noun
Evidence of this mechanism stretches as far back as 1989, when French metabolic researcher Jean Girard and his colleagues published a paper describing how metformin increased the amount of glucose rats absorbed in their intestines. — Viviane Callier, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2026 But criticism of the outdoor dining arrangements built up, with detractors saying the spots were unsightly, dirty, and harboring rats. — Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026 One replier even proposed taking women to the city dump to shoot rats. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026 They have also been cited for rodent and pest control violations connected to the smell, which has brought an influx of rats and flies to surrounding neighborhoods. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 Noxious smoke and an influx of rats and flies attracted to rotting meat stored at the facility have tormented neighbors. — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 From rats and mice to cockroaches and pigeons, lots of critters are known to roam New York City’s streets. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026 In 1978, a Californian named Robb Moss, then twenty-eight, went on a five-week float trip through the Grand Canyon with a bunch of fellow river rats. — Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Getting into the habit of leaving dirty dishes in the sink provides pests such as German cockroaches, ants, mice, and rats with a constant food source. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 27 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rats
  1. boo
  2. informants
  3. lovers
  4. dogs
  5. warns
  6. informers
  7. fans
  8. clowns
Interjection
  • Williams also recalled witnessing the Super Bowl crowd boo Taylor Swift when she was shown on the jumbotron cheering on her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce.
    — Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Highlights include a costume parade (for kids and parents), a Purim story and boo Haman and songs.
    — Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
Definition of boo
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
  • In April, the SPLC was charged as an organization with bank fraud and money laundering offenses related to its paying of informants to infiltrate hate groups.
    — Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of informants
Noun
  • For snow lovers, Big Bear Mountain Resort is just five minutes away.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of lovers
Noun
  • The fifth Corgi Race Vilnius drew dogs and their owners to the Lithuanian capital's Vingis park on Saturday for what organizers said was the biggest edition yet.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Dogs are welcome for a nonrefundable fee of $75, with a maximum of two dogs per room and a weight limit of 80 pounds per dog.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of dogs
Verb
  • Pressure is mounting to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as the International Energy Agency (IEA) warns that global oil stockpiles are dwindling rapidly.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The manufacturer, Compliant Technologies, warns they should not be used on children, pregnant women or the disabled.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of warns
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 informers
Noun
  • From sneak peeks of new Disney movies and shows to first looks at new experiences and products, D23 is the place where news is made for fans of Disney's theme parks, characters and more.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • General manager Ross Atkins, hours after the deadline, apologized to fans for the disappointment on the heels of a World Series appearance.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of fans
Noun
  • One morning during my stay, there were even clowns buzzing about—a thrill to receive a balloon poodle alongside my morning flat white.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026
  • Perhaps most astonishingly, the movie manages to make creepy clowns — that shopworn trope — genuinely frightening again.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
Definition of clowns

Browse Nearby Words

rat (on)
rats
rat snake
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Cite this Entry

“Rats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rats. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of rats for Spanish Speakers

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