1
as in to affect
to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response
the pressure of final exams is beginning to tell on the students in the dorm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to talk
to give information (as to the authorities) about another's improper or unlawful activities
detectives convinced the perpetrators in custody to tell on their associates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tell (on)
Verb
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The Trump administration’s recent shift toward U.S. isolationism regarding global affairs — and particularly those more acutely affecting Europe, such as the war in Ukraine — piled pressure on the U.K. and European Union to agree on a deal.—
Holly Ellyatt,Silvia Amaro,
CNBC,
19 May 2025 -
That glaring absence of both people and money will affect both WHO's ability to address health crises that don't care about borders -– as well as the ability of the U.S. to collaborate with the rest of the world to solve them, say global health specialists interviewed by NPR.—
Jonathan Lambert,
NPR,
19 May 2025
Verb
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Witnesses said the customer complained about his order to a female employee working at the Checkers window and asked to talk to a manager several times, investigators wrote in the report.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
26 May 2025
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Patti LuPone stood in a midtown recording studio one spring afternoon, talking to Carrie Bradshaw.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
Verb
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The proof of the machine’s handicapping chops — or more accurately, the proof of the machine’s programmers’ handicapping chops in weighting the hundreds of factors influencing Thoroughbred performance — will be in the proverbial pudding.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
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The Wall Street Journal reported that one attorney for the families questioned whether Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg’s appearance at a ceremony this week in Doha, Qatar, with Trump influenced the decision, but a person familiar with the meeting said Doha was not mentioned at the meeting.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Turns out, Americans are willing to spend big to impress a match—$125 on average!—
Alex Backus,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 May 2025
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Here’s how to impress hiring managers without sacrificing authenticity.—
Andrew Fennell,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The film also stars Dave Bautista as Steve, the show’s producer who informs Shelly that her longtime gig is coming to an end.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
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Parents and teachers were not informed of that probe or her indictment on 19 charges in August 2024, and only discovered this information two months ago when local outlet WHYY broke the story.—
Chris Spargo,
People.com,
16 May 2025
Verb
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According to AccuWeather, storms may impact New Orleans, northern Florida, parts of the Carolinas and Washington, D.C. Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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Johnson has spoken about how growing up in the Hedren/Griffith household impacted her view of fame and the industry, particularly with regards to her grandma and Alfred Hitchcock.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
18 May 2025
Verb
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Spot treating stains using bleach on white clothes should be done slowly, making sure the bleach is only touching the stain and not seeping through the fabric, or to other areas of the garment.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
26 May 2025
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Plus, vegetarians and vegans will appreciate that their food isn’t touching the same surface the meat is grilled on.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 May 2025
Verb
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Bullets fired by the on-duty officer struck Mitchell, police said.—
Kate Linderman,
Kansas City Star,
27 May 2025
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The 29-year-old man was not struck by the gunfire, but he was bitten by a police dog and shocked with a Taser when police caught and arrested him, San Diego police homicide Lt. Lou Maggi said.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tell (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell%20%28on%29. Accessed 31 May. 2025.
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