Meaning & use
to smell a rat
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiom
To suspect that something is wrong or dishonest.
Grammar: Used as an intransitive verb phrase; it does not take an object.
Patterns
- smell a rat
- begin to smell a rat
When the offer seemed too good to be true, she began to smell a rat.
He smelled a rat when the company refused to show him the accounts.
If you smell a rat, it's wise to ask more questions before you sign anything.
Common combinations
- begin to smell a rat
- I began to smell a rat when he kept changing his story.
- smell a rat about something
- She smelled a rat about the whole deal.
- start to smell a rat
- They started to smell a rat after the third delay.
- make someone smell a rat
- His nervous laughter made me smell a rat.
Synonyms and how they differ
- be suspicious
- This is a more general and literal way to say you think something is wrong; 'smell a rat' is more idiomatic and vivid.
- sense something is off
- This is informal and means you feel something is not right; 'smell a rat' specifically suggests dishonesty.
Commonly confused: to smell a rat or smell like a rat?
to smell a rat vs smell like a rat
This literally means having the odor of a rat; 'smell a rat' is figurative and means to suspect deceit.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
'Smelled a rat' is the correct idiom meaning she became suspicious. 'Smelled like a rat' means she had the odor of a rat, which is not the intended meaning. 'Was smelling a rat' is not used because the idiom is not progressive. 'Smelled of a rat' is also literal and incorrect here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to smell a rat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.