# fink on

CEFR C2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fink-on
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to tell someone in authority, like a teacher or the police, about something bad another person did. You usually do this to get them in trouble or to help yourself.

For teachers: to inform on or betray an associate to an authority figure; functions as an intransitive phrasal verb followed by a prepositional object.

## Examples

- He decided to fink on his friends to avoid jail.
- The gang members were worried that one of their own might fink on them to the detectives.
- The informant was eventually ostracized by his community after it was discovered he had been finking on local activists for years.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He finked his brother." but "He finked on his brother." — the verb requires the preposition 'on' before the person being reported.

## Usage notes

- highly informal and carries a strong negative connotation of betrayal.
- Teaching tip: this is a more colorful, slangy alternative to 'inform on' or 'tell on'; it is often associated with crime movies or schoolyard snitching.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.