Phrasal verb
rat out
Definition
phrasal verb. to tell an authority figure about something bad that another person did. You use this when someone betrays a friend to stay out of trouble.
phrasal verb. to inform on someone to an authority, often to gain a personal advantage or avoid punishment. The verb is transitive and typically takes the person being betrayed as the direct object.
Examples
“He promised not to rat out his brother for the mess.”
“The suspect decided to rat out his partners in exchange for a lighter sentence from the prosecutor.”
“Under intense pressure from the investigators, the whistleblower finally agreed to rat out the executives involved in the price-fixing scandal.”
Examples
simple
“He promised not to rat out his brother for the mess.”
contextual
“The suspect decided to rat out his partners in exchange for a lighter sentence from the prosecutor.”
complex
“Under intense pressure from the investigators, the whistleblower finally agreed to rat out the executives involved in the price-fixing scandal.”
Usage
often used with the preposition 'to' to indicate the person receiving the information.
Teaching tip
anchor the meaning using the negative cultural image of a rat as a sneaky or untrustworthy animal.
Pitfall
He ratted out the theft to the police.
He ratted out his friend to the police.
the object of 'rat out' must be the person who committed the act, not the act itself.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
optional
Pattern
rat + out + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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