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
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
Even their latest pre-match tifo felt telling on Wednesday night.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 3 June 2026
People have a way of telling on themselves.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tell on
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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
Even their latest pre-match tifo felt telling on Wednesday night.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 3 June 2026
People have a way of telling on themselves.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 May 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 17 Jun. 2026.
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