snitch

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/snɪtʃ/
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Informal and often disapproving slang for telling on someone or for the informer who does it, with further senses for sly theft, an old slang use meaning the nose, and the Golden Snitch of Harry Potter.
Practice using snitch in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • The rumor started because someone thought there was a snitch in the group.
  • The old crook tapped his snitch and claimed he could smell a trap.
  • Jailhouse snitches can become unreliable witnesses when deals are involved.
  • The actor used snitch for nose to give the character a period flavor.
  • In that gang, anyone who snitches is treated as a traitor.

Similar words

tell on
tattletale
snout
pinch
informant
filch
nose
rat
Golden Snitch
swipe

Meanings

Inform on someone

verb
social
informal
To tell a person in authority that someone else has done something wrong, usually with a disapproving sense of betrayal.

Usage

Use snitch when the reporting is informal, secretive, or socially condemned. Use whistleblow or report for serious public-interest disclosure.

Examples

  • He refused to snitch on the other players after practice.
  • Someone snitched to the manager about the fake refunds.
  • The children thought she had snitched on them to the teacher.
  • In that gang, anyone who snitches is treated as a traitor.
  • The witness was afraid to snitch because everyone knew where he lived.

Common mistakes

The preposition on is often dropped, and the word is confused with neutral reporting.
IncorrectCorrect
He snitched his friend to the teacher. He snitched on his friend to the teacher.
She snitch on the team yesterday. She snitched on the team yesterday.
The engineer snitched about unsafe wiring to protect the public. The engineer reported unsafe wiring to protect the public.

Similar words

tattle
rat
inform
tell on
grass
betray

Informer

noun
social
informal
A person who tells authorities about another person’s wrongdoing, especially when the act is viewed as disloyal.

Usage

Use snitch for an informer seen negatively by a group. Use informant, source, or whistleblower when a neutral or protective tone is needed.

Examples

  • Nobody wanted to be called a snitch for telling the coach.
  • The police protected the snitch after the trial.
  • He was branded a snitch for cooperating with investigators.
  • The rumor started because someone thought there was a snitch in the group.
  • Jailhouse snitches can become unreliable witnesses when deals are involved.

Common mistakes

The noun is often used where a neutral or positive label is needed.
IncorrectCorrect
The safety snitch exposed a dangerous chemical leak. The whistleblower exposed a dangerous chemical leak.
The journalist protected the snitch who confirmed the documents. The journalist protected the source who confirmed the documents.
Two snitch gave statements after the robbery. Two snitches gave statements after the robbery.

Similar words

tattletale
rat
informer
informant
squealer
stool pigeon

Steal slyly

verb
crime
informal
To take something secretly or quickly, especially in a small, sneaky theft.

Usage

Use snitch for casual or light-toned stealing. Use steal, rob, or shoplift when the theft is serious, violent, or legally precise.

Examples

  • He snitched a biscuit from the tin before dinner.
  • Someone snitched my pen during the meeting.
  • The kids tried to snitch sweets from the counter.
  • She admitted she had snitched a few coins from the jar.
  • The thief snitched a watch while the crowd was distracted.

Common mistakes

The object is sometimes omitted, and the word is stretched to large or violent thefts.
IncorrectCorrect
She snitched from the office drawer. She snitched a key from the office drawer.
They snitched the bank at midnight. They robbed the bank at midnight.
He snatch a biscuit from the tin. He snitched a biscuit from the tin.

Similar words

pilfer
filch
swipe
nick
pinch
lift

Nose

noun
slang
archaic
A rare old slang word for a nose, mostly encountered in historical or underworld-flavored language.

Usage

Use snitch for a nose only when quoting or imitating old slang. In ordinary modern speech, nose is the clear word.

Examples

  • The old crook tapped his snitch and claimed he could smell a trap.
  • In the comic scene, the thief hid his long snitch behind a scarf.
  • The line sounds old-fashioned because snitch once meant a nose.
  • A glossary of thieves’ cant listed snitch as slang for the nose.
  • The actor used snitch for nose to give the character a period flavor.

Common mistakes

The rare nose sense is sometimes used where modern readers expect the informer sense.
IncorrectCorrect
He wiped his snitch after sneezing. He wiped his nose after sneezing.
The doctor examined the patient’s snitch. The doctor examined the patient’s nose.
The person's snitch was bleeding after the fall. The person's nose was bleeding after the fall.

Similar words

nose
schnoz
beak
snout
proboscis

Flying Quidditch ball

noun
pop culture
neutral
In Harry Potter, a small winged ball that a Seeker tries to catch in Quidditch, usually called the Golden Snitch.

Usage

Use snitch for the Quidditch object when the Harry Potter setting is clear, and Golden Snitch for the full name.

Examples

  • The Seeker spotted the Snitch above the pitch.
  • Catching the Snitch ended the Quidditch match.
  • The Golden Snitch darted between the players.
  • Harry reached for the Snitch at full speed.
  • A tiny winged Snitch appears in the display.

Common mistakes

Lowercase snitch can look like the informer sense unless the Quidditch setting is clear.
IncorrectCorrect
The snitch told the referee where the ball was. The Golden Snitch flew past the referee.
The Seeker tried to score through the snitch. The Seeker tried to catch the Snitch.
Harry Potter chased a snitch who betrayed the team. Harry Potter chased the Golden Snitch during the match.

Similar words

Golden Snitch

Usage

Use snitch with care because the informer senses usually carry blame or contempt. The stealing, nose, and Harry Potter senses need context because they are less common.

Common mistakes

Snitch on loses its preposition, and the word is often used where neutral report or positive whistleblower is meant.

Etymology

Of uncertain origin. The informer noun is recorded in the late eighteenth century and is probably connected with earlier underworld slang for the nose. The verb meaning inform comes from the noun, while the steal sense is recorded later and may be influenced by snatch.

FAQ

What does snitch mean?

Snitch usually means to tell an authority about someone else’s wrongdoing, or a person who does that.

Is snitch negative?

Yes, it is usually disapproving because it suggests betrayal or tattling rather than responsible reporting.

What does snitch on someone mean?

Snitch on someone means to tell a teacher, police officer, manager, or other authority that the person did something wrong.

Can snitch mean steal?

Yes. Informally, snitch can mean to steal or pilfer something in a sly way.

Is snitch the same as whistleblower?

No. A whistleblower reports serious wrongdoing, often for public protection, while a snitch is usually framed as a disloyal informer.

Can snitch be a noun?

Yes. A snitch is an informer, and in rare old slang it can also mean a nose.

What is the Snitch in Harry Potter?

The Snitch, usually the Golden Snitch, is the small winged ball a Seeker tries to catch in Quidditch.

What is the past tense of snitch?

The regular past tense is snitched, as in She snitched on him.

Where does snitch come from?

Its origin is uncertain, but the informer sense is recorded in late eighteenth-century slang and may connect with older slang for the nose.

What is a polite alternative to snitch?

Report, inform, source, informant, or whistleblower may fit, depending on the context and tone.

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