tell on
verb
told on; telling on; tells on
1
informal
: to tell someone in authority about the bad behavior or actions of (someone else)
Please don't tell on me.
2
: to have a noticeable effect on (someone or something)
The stress began to tell on her face/health.
Examples of tell on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The content is landing because someone did the strategic work before production began, making sure the story was worth telling on terms both the brand and the audience could believe in.
—
Jordan P. Kelley,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Pickett’s minutes last year were more of a tell on the rest of the Nuggets’ bench than any emergence on his own.
—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
As told on a sign under the covered patio, there’s a bit of a dress code.
—
Jenna Thompson
june 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Even remakes and adaptations of centuries-old novels are kept away from prying eyes, forgetting that everybody can look up the ending of every story ever told on Wikipedia.
—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tell on
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Jordan P. Kelley,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Pickett’s minutes last year were more of a tell on the rest of the Nuggets’ bench than any emergence on his own.
—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
As told on a sign under the covered patio, there’s a bit of a dress code.
—
Jenna Thompson
june 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Even remakes and adaptations of centuries-old novels are kept away from prying eyes, forgetting that everybody can look up the ending of every story ever told on Wikipedia.
—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tell on
Cite this Entry
“Tell on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tell%20on. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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