told 1 of 2

past tense of tell
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2
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as in counted
to find the sum of (a collection of things) by noting each one as it is being added who can tell the number of grains of sand in the world?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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told

2 of 2

adjective

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of told
Adjective
Level 1 event, a DHS official told ABC News. Luke Barr, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2025 Four law enforcement sources told NBC News and NBC Los Angeles that the Hollywood Hills home was connected to the singer but did not provide additional details. Andrew Blankstein, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2025 Trump told reporters the FCC should consider the content of what is broadcast when considering licenses. Bart Jansen, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025 Recently, a Dior New York spa esthetician told her to swap out her morning cleanser (turns out, too many stripping ingredients were only making her dryness worse). Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2025 Not because people are lazy, but the system told them to stand down. Tyler Christiansen, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 Shaw has already told the story of what happened next. Susan Young, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025 In fact, three experts told Newsweek that 2025 will look much the same as 2024 in terms of COVID-19 risk. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025 As a defensive end going to a Power 4 school, I’ve been told $60,000 to $80,000 a semester. Manny Navarro, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for told
Verb
  • It’s gotten so bad that, in one of the largest H-2A criminal cases ever, a federal judge described the abuse of these workers as a form of modern-day slavery.
    Max Blau, ProPublica, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Boelter’s motivation remains unclear, but investigators found a one-and-a-half-page letter, described as rambling and difficult to read, that was ascribed to him.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Trump said the bond between America and the United Kingdom is irreplaceable.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Kate will join Melania at Frogmore Gardens to meet the Chief Scout, Dwayne Fields and members of the Scouts' Squirrels programme, the Buckingham Palace press release said.
    Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Later on, the student reported the incident to UNT’s Dean of Students Laura Smith, asking that her absence from class not be counted against her grade, according to the letter.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Sep. 2025
  • There were 537,300 counted as officially out of work, down 7,900 in a month and down 12,000 in a year.
    Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Participating buyers agree to purchase produce from farms that adhere to the program’s stringent set of protections for workers, let workers be informed about their rights by the CIW and allow independent auditors to investigate complaints from their fields.
    Max Blau, ProPublica, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Make your opinions informed by experience.
    Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Revealed Fact-finders are instructed to view the reaction in broader context, not only the immediate moments before the homicide.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
  • In another case, our staff were instructed to provide a contractor working as a direct agent of the Secretary direct access to the CDC’s Vaccine Safety Datalink, even though the individual did not follow standard procedures to ensure the security of personal identifying information.
    Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The new smart glasses are a bridge between the company's audio-only Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and the experimental Orion augmented reality glasses that the company revealed at last year's Connect event.
    Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Authorities revealed that bullet casings recovered at the scene included antifascist messaging, and online messages and additional evidence from the suspect, Tyler Robinson, indicate he may have been driven by Leftist ideology.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Instead, users who rely on ChatGPT, for example, for tips on handling their clinical depression are relying on the tool for a function that’s beyond its stated purpose.
    Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2025
  • In a franchise system, this shows in how the franchisor supports its owners, how decisions are made and whether the brand’s actions truly reflect its stated purpose.
    Gigi Schweikert, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • From mid-November 2021 to May 2022, the postings recounted reconnaissance of the target performed in the lead-up to the attack.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The poster recounted the story, which began when an elderly customer started putting her groceries on the conveyor belt while the poster was still unloading their cart.
    Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Told.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/told. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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