1
as in influences
to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response
the pressure of final exams is beginning to tell on the students in the dorm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in talks
to give information (as to the authorities) about another's improper or unlawful activities
detectives convinced the perpetrators in custody to tell on their associates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tells (on)
Verb
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Fat Content The fat content of the fish influences how well the fish freezes and defrosts.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026 -
Sagittarius Moon The moon, which spends about two to three days in each sign, influences your emotions and intuition.—
Maressa Brown,
InStyle,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And no one talks much about that.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026
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Kennedy, who is in long-term recovery from addiction to alcohol and heroin, talks frequently about his own struggles with substance use.—
Lev Facher,
STAT,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That, in turn, affects models of how elements are spread through galaxies, since supernovae are major sources of heavy elements like iron.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
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This affects both recommended posts and ads.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Tracking how clusters assemble across vast stretches of time and space also informs our knowledge of the cosmic web and the cosmological parameters that shape it.—
Lee Billings,
Scientific American,
4 Feb. 2026
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Read Buy or Sell GOOG Stock to understand what informs our current opinion.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Woodard's philosophy is to put the best players on the field, which includes any freshman who impresses her.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Feb. 2026
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This particular model impresses with its trendy dark brown and pink colors, as well as its unique fit.—
Katharina Fuchs,
Glamour,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Whether that impacts the effectiveness of the conversation remains to be seen.—
Bob O'Donnell,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
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And in those common issues, one negotiation impacts the next negotiation.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Around the size of a bathtub, the grille touches 70 percent of the menu, an idea that Greenberg has been familiar with since childhood.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
10 Feb. 2026
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Otherwise that proves to be a checklist of several things the movie scarcely touches on at all.—
Amy Nicholson,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Tells (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tells%20%28on%29. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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