narc
Low-to-Medium (common in informal/slang contexts)Informal, slang, potentially derogatory.
Definition
Meaning
A police officer or government agent who enforces laws against illegal drugs.
Informal term for a person who betrays others by informing authorities of their activities; especially someone who informs on those using or selling illegal drugs. Can also be used as a verb (to narc/narc on someone).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strongly associated with undercover police work in the drug trade. Carries heavy connotations of betrayal when used among peers. The verb form is used transitively with the preposition 'on' (to narc on someone).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common in American English. In British English, 'grass' or 'snitch' might be more frequent for the informant sense.
Connotations
Similar in both dialects: negative, implying treachery. In American usage, it's strongly tied to 1970s/80s drug enforcement imagery.
Frequency
Significantly more frequent in American English across media (film, TV). Rare in formal British contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
VERB: to narc on [SOMEONE]NOUN: [DETERMINER] narcVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “narc on out (rare, meaning to leave or betray)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Not used (except in sociological studies of slang).
Everyday
Informal, among younger speakers or in contexts discussing law enforcement/drugs.
Technical
Not used in legal/technical jargon; official terms are 'undercover officer', 'DEA agent'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He threatened to narc on his mates if they didn't stop.
- I'd never narc, no matter what.
American English
- She narced on her brother for having weed.
- Don't narc on us, man!
adverb
British English
- This is not used.
American English
- This is not used.
adjective
British English
- He was part of a narc operation in the city.
- She hated the narc culture in the films.
American English
- The narc squad raided the building at dawn.
- He went full narc after joining the academy.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He is a narc. He works for the police.
- I think the new guy in our building might be a narc.
- Don't tell him anything; he could narc on us.
- The undercover narc infiltrated the gang for six months before making any arrests.
- The fear of being narced on kept everyone in the group silent.
- The film's protagonist, a disillusioned narc, grapples with the morality of his deceptive work.
- Their relationship deteriorated after she discovered he had narced on her former associates to get a plea deal.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'NARC' as short for 'NARCotics agent'. It sounds sharp and abrupt, like a sudden arrest.
Conceptual Metaphor
BETRAYAL IS POISONING A GROUP (the narc 'poisons' the trust within a group).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'нарк' (short for наркоман - drug addict). 'Narc' is the police, not the user.
- Direct translation will give the opposite meaning (law enforcer vs. law breaker).
Common Mistakes
- Using it in formal writing.
- Confusing it for a neutral term for any police officer.
- Incorrect verb pattern: 'He narced me' instead of 'He narced on me'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'narc' MOST appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is strictly informal and slang. It is not used in official police terminology or formal writing.
A 'narc' specifically refers to a law enforcement officer dealing with drugs, or an informant for them. A 'snitch' is a broader term for any informant, regardless of the crime or their affiliation.
Yes, commonly in the phrasal verb 'to narc on (someone)', meaning to inform on them to an authority.
It is derogatory and carries a strong negative connotation of betrayal when used by those involved in or sympathetic to illegal activities. It is not a polite term for a police officer.
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