as in indicative
indicating something
I know you've been eating chocolate because of the telltale smudges on your face
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in gossiper
a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others
the media's professional telltales have basically decided that today's celebrities have no right to privacy
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in informant
a person who provides information about another's wrongdoing
the department telltale told the boss that his coworkers were taking extra long breaks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of telltale
Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2025
After two months, there was an average 45% increase in new eyelash growth without the telltale darkening of skin and eye color that often comes with PGA formulas.
—Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 17 Jan. 2025
Tents selling fireworks all over the county are opening and the telltale pops, booms and bangs can be heard far and wide leading up to Independence Day.
—Andy Humbles, The Tennessean, 22 June 2024
The only telltale is the small 350e badge on the back.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
The thief slowly turns the dial, listening for the telltale clicks or resistance that might hint at the inner workings of the safe's gears and reveal its combination.
—Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 21 June 2020
Photo: Courtesy of Neon Spectators at the crash scene in 1957 reported hearing the telltale hiss of a tire blowing out.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 22 Jan. 2024
The initial telltale symptom of the plague is an extremely swollen lymph node, according to Adalja.
—Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2024
And in the following days, astronomers saw the telltale reddening of a kilonova in the same spot as the gamma-ray burst.
—Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023
Noun
Check for telltale thinning at the crown and temples; broken, frizzy bits at ear and chin level; as well as shorter strands at the nape of the neck that look shredded or wispy.
—Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2025
After two months, there was an average 45% increase in new eyelash growth without the telltale darkening of skin and eye color that often comes with PGA formulas.
—Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 17 Jan. 2025
Tents selling fireworks all over the county are opening and the telltale pops, booms and bangs can be heard far and wide leading up to Independence Day.
—Andy Humbles, The Tennessean, 22 June 2024
The only telltale is the small 350e badge on the back.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
The thief slowly turns the dial, listening for the telltale clicks or resistance that might hint at the inner workings of the safe's gears and reveal its combination.
—Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 21 June 2020
Photo: Courtesy of Neon Spectators at the crash scene in 1957 reported hearing the telltale hiss of a tire blowing out.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 22 Jan. 2024
The initial telltale symptom of the plague is an extremely swollen lymph node, according to Adalja.
—Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2024
And in the following days, astronomers saw the telltale reddening of a kilonova in the same spot as the gamma-ray burst.
—Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for telltale
Adjective
-
Distribution with Regal is indicative of Leitner-Waldman’s theory that wine drinkers are eschewing the more stodgy and outdated way that they were presented wines—the white tablecloth fine dining experience—and instead seeking to sip on wine during more active occasions.—
John Kell,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Taken altogether, the site is indicative of a votive burial deposit for a wealthy local of high standing, potentially even a tribal chief.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
He had been suspended for flouting weight regulations, stripped of his informants and demoted to monitoring wiretaps.—
Christopher Goffard,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2025
-
His lawyers and family deny any gang connections and say the allegations are largely based on information from a 2019 informant.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This latest study was also more reflective of real-world protein intake than previous research.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Apr. 2025
-
The new camp will also include spa offerings and wellness programming, designed for reflective and restorative stays, rooted in nature.—
Nicole Trilivas,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors The Diablo series is one of the most prolific and influential video games series in history, with the first game in the series having almost single handedly pioneered the modern dungeon crawler RPG genre.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Get into the habit of putting empathy before gossip.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The Ukrainian soldiers began to see Russian civilians as a hindrance — or worse, as potential informers who could give away their positions.—
Ekaterina Bodyagina Nanna Heitmann,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2025
-
The arrests were part of wide-ranging Establishment attacks on the new generation of pop stars in Britain at the time, done through connivance with informers and a hostile conservative media.—
Bill Wyman,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
From tropical parrots and toucans to charming songbirds like swallows and canaries, colorful avian creatures are poised to soar onto our homes’ walls this year.—
Celia San Miguel,
USA TODAY,
11 Mar. 2025
-
The Clock Is Ticking Shopify’s hiring policy is the canary in the corporate coal mine.—
Roger Dooley,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The mice and rat cells come from live animals housed directly inside the Morgantown facility, which are usually cared for by a veterinarian and other support staff.—
Caroline Haskins,
Wired News,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Based on this team’s recent history, that’s as likely to happen as a rat swimming to shore from the middle of the ocean.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Telltale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/telltale. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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