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
Alison Herman, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
This can be a telltale sign of an insect issue.
—Molly Burford, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder.
—Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
The new short, curvaceous style has all the telltale signs of being an Italian bob.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 9 Feb. 2026
There are a few telltale signs that indicate your orchid is struggling.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 8 Feb. 2026
Aside from the telltale rash, measles symptoms can include high fever, cough and red, watery eyes.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Just as with fashion, music, movies, or culture, technology has become a telltale sign of communal nostalgia.
—William Jones, Ascend Agency, 7 Feb. 2026
Along with the telltale rash, measles can cause a high fever, cough, pneumonia, swelling of the brain (encephalitis), and death.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Nov. 2025
That was a big telltale for the song.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
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
The only telltale is the small 350e badge on the back.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
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 initial telltale symptom of the plague is an extremely swollen lymph node, according to Adalja.
—Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2024
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 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
Adjective
But before the action alights in the location of the latest dispute between adjacent property owners to catch the eye of directors Harrison Fishman and Dylan Redford (yes, grandson of Robert), the shot fills with the telltale red, white and blue of the American flag.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
This can be a telltale sign of an insect issue.
—Molly Burford, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder.
—Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
The new short, curvaceous style has all the telltale signs of being an Italian bob.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 9 Feb. 2026
There are a few telltale signs that indicate your orchid is struggling.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 8 Feb. 2026
Aside from the telltale rash, measles symptoms can include high fever, cough and red, watery eyes.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Just as with fashion, music, movies, or culture, technology has become a telltale sign of communal nostalgia.
—William Jones, Ascend Agency, 7 Feb. 2026
Along with the telltale rash, measles can cause a high fever, cough, pneumonia, swelling of the brain (encephalitis), and death.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
Noun
However, when outflows from young stars strike surrounding molecular clouds, shockwaves are created that heat matter and cause molecular hydrogen to emit telltale emissions.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Nov. 2025
That was a big telltale for the song.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
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
The only telltale is the small 350e badge on the back.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
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 initial telltale symptom of the plague is an extremely swollen lymph node, according to Adalja.
—Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2024
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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for telltale
Adjective
-
Listening, understanding, then reacting accordingly is indicative of O’Donnell’s overarching philosophy this season.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Fleming, who was one of the judges this year, said the event’s growth is indicative of the large number of sophisticated bakeries that have opened in metro Denver in the past few years and of the camaraderie that exists between their pastry chefs.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Celebrity gossiper Rob Shuter reported that the two recently let go of a number of their staff.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Her staff figured out how to get rid of the gossiper.—
Ronda Racha Penrice,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Rios’ attorneys contend that the case had gone cold when Guevara, who at the time was a gang crimes specialist, not a homicide detective, inserted himself into the investigation by claiming two confidential informants had fingered Rios as the gunman.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
-
An informant with Talanoa Law and Justice told researchers that drugs impact the areas of the brain that control thinking and emotions.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Sweat If the film looks moist and the surfaces looks reflective, that’s exactly the look Fennell and Davies were going for.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Congress should take a practical, comprehensive approach that strengthens border security while creating an immigration system that is orderly, humane, and reflective of our values.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This brought back family gossip and hesitant bits of information about my mother’s beloved grandfather, my maternal great-grandfather.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
-
In the early 2000s, there was a viral gossip report that Thornton and the Tomb Raider star drank each other’s blood.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And so every regime invests in having student informers.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Security services also rely on informers to tell them who might be using Starlink, and search internet and social media traffic for signs it has been used.—
David Rising,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These include helium circulators, turbines, steam generators, pumps, and instrumentation and controls for the reactor’s power and heat generation.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Constitutional concerns helped tank a bill Tuesday in the South Dakota House of Representatives that aimed to ban payments to petition circulators in ballot measure campaigns.—
John Hult,
States Newsroom,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
By crunching data from millions of monthly payroll records for workers in jobs with exposure to generative AI, the authors concluded that workers ages 22 to 25—the canaries—have seen about a 13 percent decline in employment since late 2022.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
There are no canaries on the Canary Islands.—
Richard Lederer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Telltale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/telltale. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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