How to Use telling in a Sentence

telling

adjective
  • The most telling moment in the case was when the victim took the stand.
  • Her experience is a telling example of why the nation's educational system needs to be changed.
  • And the next three to four months could be just as telling as the last.
    Allie Morris, Dallas News, 5 July 2020
  • The last shot of this season might be the most telling.
    Donna Bowman, Chron, 12 Dec. 2022
  • The more telling parts are all the years leading up to it.
    Rebekah Denn, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 June 2018
  • This was the most telling image from my take of the fight.
    John Kuntz, cleveland, 26 Dec. 2019
  • The most telling aspect of the video, though, is the audio.
    Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 21 July 2022
  • But perhaps the most telling race was the one least in doubt.
    Ben Jacobs, The New Republic, 28 June 2022
  • Her blood has pooled on her back and the backs of her legs, dark and telling.
    Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2020
  • What’s the most telling thing about the Hot 100’s current top tier?
    Katie Atkinson, Billboard, 10 Jan. 2023
  • The most telling stat may have been farther down the box score.
    Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Jan. 2024
  • The most telling stat: 20 strikeouts and just three walks.
    Steve Gardner, USA TODAY, 3 May 2023
  • The egg’s pressure data may be the most telling of all.
    Raleigh McElvery, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2021
  • Even more telling was the difference in points scored in the paint.
    oregonlive, 2 Dec. 2021
  • How the Ducks choose to go about that today will be more telling.
    oregonlive, 2 Oct. 2021
  • Most days at 100 or over this decade One of the most telling records is a longer-term one.
    oregonlive, 17 Aug. 2023
  • The postgame clubhouse scene might have been most telling.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023
  • Even more telling, the two sides have met three times in the postseason in the last 17 years.
    Jared Diamond, WSJ, 6 Oct. 2021
  • But the more telling stat, perhaps, was the 3.6 yards per carry.
    Alex Vejar, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 Aug. 2022
  • To the Editor: Edward Sorel omits the most telling line in the whole episode.
    New York Times, 30 Mar. 2018
  • The Detroit Red Wings' next game will be one of their most telling of the season.
    Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press, 30 Mar. 2022
  • The more telling stat though was that the spin rate on his fastball was down more than 200 rpm.
    Matt Young, Chron, 7 June 2021
  • The most telling stat of Game 4 was this one: Chris Paul fouled out in just 23 minutes of play.
    Mark Faller, The Arizona Republic, 16 May 2022
  • There’s nothing more telling than the contents of a cook’s pantry.
    Adina Steiman, WSJ, 4 May 2022
  • But the next week or two will be very telling in terms of McIntyre’s long-term prospects.
    Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024
  • The most telling sign is in the behavior of the young talent that isn’t yet on the market.
    Jared Diamond, WSJ, 18 Feb. 2019
  • This will be a very telling game in terms of how good the Steelers secondary is.
    Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 4 Oct. 2021
  • The ladies all laugh it off, but Kate has a panic face, too, and hers is much more telling.
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 18 May 2021
  • But in the Midwest, the most telling trends are evident in nighttime temperatures.
    Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2024
  • Checking rate of increase: Early on in pregnancy, the rate of increase is more telling than the actual quantity of the hormone in the blood.
    Rachel Gurevich, Parents, 30 July 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'telling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: