tell of
phrasal verb
told of; telling of; tells of
formal + literary
1
: to be evidence of (something) : to indicate
Her smile told of her good news.
His rough hands tell of a hard life.
2
: to describe (something) : to make the details of (something) known
The article tells of her Arctic journey.
3
: to talk to (someone) about (something)
He told us of his plans to move to the city.
Examples of tell of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The story tells of Cady, a student who has been homeschooled while her parents worked in Africa.
—
Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025
The rise in prominence of such an exclusive place is telling of the increasing influence of the ultra-rich in our society.
—Emily Witt, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
The untitled story tells of a formidable and charismatic mob boss who rises to build the islands’ most powerful criminal empire, waging a brutal war against mainland corporations and rival syndicates while fighting to preserve his ancestral land.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2025
The book tells of a brother and sister who started a lemonade stand.
—Louise Rafkin, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell of
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Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025
The rise in prominence of such an exclusive place is telling of the increasing influence of the ultra-rich in our society.
—Emily Witt, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
The untitled story tells of a formidable and charismatic mob boss who rises to build the islands’ most powerful criminal empire, waging a brutal war against mainland corporations and rival syndicates while fighting to preserve his ancestral land.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2025
The book tells of a brother and sister who started a lemonade stand.
—Louise Rafkin, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell of
Cite this Entry
“Tell of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tell%20of. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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