squeal

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

To give sensitive information about someone to a third party; to rat on someone.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

You'd better not squeal on me to the cops.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “squeal” mean?

To give sensitive information about someone to a third party; to rat on someone.

Is “squeal” formal or informal?

squeal is generally slang.