He'll be sure to smell a rat if I'm with you.
Source: tatoeba (17621)
Rat
/ɹæt/
Synonyms for "rat" (437 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (88)
aardvarkaardwolfalpacaangora goatanimalanteaterantelopeantelope chipmunkaoudadaparapostateapostatizearchtraitorarctic foxarmadilloassaurochsbabblebadgerbandicoot
Show 58 more words
bassariskbastardbatbe indiscreetbe unguardedbearbear witness againstbeaverbelgian harebenedict arnoldbetraybetray a confidencebetrayerbettongbinturongbisonblabblabberblack bearblack buckblack catblack foxblack sheepblacklegblow the whistleblue foxblurtblurt outbobcatboltbreak awaybrown bearbrush deerbrush wolfbrutusbuffalobuffalo wolfbuggerburroburro deercachalotcaffre catcamelcamelopardcapybaracarabaocariboucarpinchocatcat-a-mountaincatamountcattalocavychamoischeetahchevrotainchignonchinchilla
Strong matches (131)
chipmunkcinnamon bearcockatriceconniverconspiratorconspirercooncoon catcotton mousecotton ratcougarcowcoyotecoypucreepcurdeerdeer tigerdefectdefector
Show 99 more words
desertdeserterdingodisclosedogdonkeydormousedouble agentdouble dealerdouble-crosserdouble-dealerdromedaryechidnaelandelephantelkermineeyrafallfallow deerfalse hairfartferretfield mousefinkfisherfitchflying phalangerfoumartfoxfox squirrelgazellegemsbokgenetgiraffegive awaygluttongnugnu goatgoatgoat antelopegophergrizzly bearground squirrelgroundhogguanacoguinea pighamsterhareharnessed antelopehartebeesthedgehogheelhippopotamushoghoodhooliganhorsehyenahyraxibexindian buffaloinforminform againstinform oninformerintrigantintriguerjackaljackassjackrabbitjaguarjaguarundijerboajerboa kangaroojerkjudasjudas iscariotkaamakangarookangaroo mousekangaroo ratkarakulkinkajoukit foxkoalakodiak bearlapinleaklemmingleopardleopard catlet downlet droplet falllet sliplionllamalouse
Related words (218)
Noun(18 words)
lynxmachinatormammalmammothmaramarmotmartenmastodonmeaniemeerkatminkmolemongoosemoosemothermouflonmountain goatmountain lionmountain sheepmouse
Show 173 more words
mulemule deermuntjacmusk deermusk hogmusk-oxmuskratmusquashnarcnarknilgainutriaocelotokapionageroontopossumotterounceoxpack ratpainterpandapangolinpantherpeachpeccarypeludophalangerpigpillpimppine mouseplatypusplotterpocket gopherpocket mousepocket ratpolar bearpolar foxpolecatporcupinepossumpouched ratpoyouprairie dogprairie wolfprickpronghornpull outpumaquislingrabbitraccoonrecreantred deerred squirrelreindeerrenegaderenouncerepudiatereveal a secretrhinocerosroeroe deerroebuckroguerun outrun out onrunagatesablescabschemerscumsecedesell outserpentservalsheepshitshitheadshitheelshrewshrew molesikasilver foxsingskunkslothsnakesnake in the grasssnitchsnitch onsnotsnowshoe rabbitsobson of a bitchspillspill the beansspringboksqueaksquealsquirrelstinkardstinkerstoatstoolstrikebreakersuslikswamp rabbitswineswitchtakintalebearertalktamanduatamarintapirtarpantatoutatou pebatatouaytattletattle ontelltell ontell secretstell talestergiversatetergiversatortestify againsttigertiger cattimber wolftimeservertoadtraitortreasonisttree shrewtrimmerturdturnturn informerturnaboutturncoaturusvirginia deervolewalk outwallabywarthogwater buffalowaterbuckweaselwharf ratwhistlerwhite foxwild asswild boarwild goatwild oxwildcatwildebeestwolfwolverinewombatwood ratwoodchuckwoolly mammothyakzebrazebuzoril
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: betrayer, tell on, aardvark, aardwolf, alpaca.
- Sentence evidence is available for rat, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, wiktionary, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "rat".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "rat"
Keep "rat" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "rat" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "rat", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "rat" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
23 entriesShowing 16 of 23 words.
More specific
9 entriesCollocations
10 entriesInflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesSample sentences
29 total sentences available.
A cornered rat will bite a cat.
Source: tatoeba (19548)
I want to get away from the rat race.
Source: tatoeba (20355)
The rat made a hole in the wall.
Source: tatoeba (35796)
Showing 4 of 29 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "rat"?
Closest matches include betrayer, tell on, aardvark, aardwolf, alpaca.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "rat"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.