Meaning & use
snitch
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Meanings
verbintransitiveinformaldisapproving
To tell a teacher, boss or the police about someone else's misbehavior, usually to get them into trouble.
Grammar: Often followed by on: she snitched on her classmates.
Patterns
- snitch on someone
- snitch to someone
- snitch about something
Nobody trusted him after he snitched on the others.
She threatened to snitch to the principal about the prank.
They never snitch, even when the coach asks directly.
nouncountableinformaldisapproving
A person who tells authority figures about the wrongdoing of others.
Grammar: Often a mild insult among peers.
Patterns
- a snitch in the group
- call someone a snitch
The class snitch told the teacher who had broken the window.
He was labeled a snitch and ignored at lunch.
Nobody wants to be seen as the office snitch.
verbtransitiveinformalold-fashioned
To steal something small, especially quickly and without much planning.
Grammar: Takes an object: snitch a cookie.
Patterns
- snitch something from somewhere
He snitched a cookie from the jar when no one was looking.
Who snitched my pen?
The kids snitched grapes from the bowl.
Word forms
| third person singular | snitches |
|---|---|
| past tense | snitched |
| past participle | snitched |
| -ing form | snitching |
| plural noun | snitches |
Common combinations
- snitch on someone
- She would never snitch on her best friend.
- a notorious snitch
- The notorious snitch cost three players their places.
- accuse someone of snitching
- They accused him of snitching to the manager.
- no snitching
- There was an unspoken no snitching rule in the dorm.
- call someone a snitch
- Don't call her a snitch for reporting bullying.
Synonyms and how they differ
- inform
- Inform is neutral and formal, while snitch is casual and carries clear disapproval.
- tell on
- Tell on is milder and often used by children, while snitch implies breaking a loyalty code.
- grass
- Grass is British slang for informing on criminals, so it fits police contexts better than schoolyard ones.
- tattle
- Tattle is typically about trivial misdeeds by children, whereas snitch can concern more serious wrongdoing.
Opposites
Word family
- snitching noun
- the act of informing on someone
- snitcher noun
- a person who snitches
- snitchy adjective
- inclined to inform on others
Commonly confused: snitch or switch?
snitch vs switch
Switch means to change or a control for power, and it is only similar in sound; snitch is about informing.
Practice
Mia saw Jake cheat, but she decided not to ___ on him.
Choose one answer.
Snitch on someone means to report them to an authority. Snatch, snag and snub do not take the preposition on in this meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “snitch”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.