(I/I'll) tell you what
idiom
informal
—used to introduce a suggestion or to emphasize a statement
(I'll) Tell you what—I'll let you borrow the car if you fill it up with gas.
I tell you what, I wouldn't pay that much for a pair of shoes.
Examples of (I/I'll) tell you what in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fellow Opus vs Baratza Encore ESP: Which Is Better?
Spoiler: An app can't tell you what grinder is best.
—
Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 13 Aug. 2025
Here’s a practical, quick test: • Can your employees tell you what your company stands for without quoting the website?
—Alex Brueckmann, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Our goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you the essential knowledge and understanding to come to your own intelligent conclusions.
—Claudia Lauder, Christian Science Monitor, 23 June 2025
Cini, who specializes in consulting with senior residents about the safety of their homes, suggests hiring a designer like herself to come in and tell you what parts of your home pose a risk before deciding to move.
—Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2025
And today there are services that can analyze a stool sample and tell you what kind of bacteria populate your gut.
—Priya Krishna, New York Times, 16 May 2025
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Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 13 Aug. 2025
Here’s a practical, quick test: • Can your employees tell you what your company stands for without quoting the website?
—Alex Brueckmann, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Our goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you the essential knowledge and understanding to come to your own intelligent conclusions.
—Claudia Lauder, Christian Science Monitor, 23 June 2025
Cini, who specializes in consulting with senior residents about the safety of their homes, suggests hiring a designer like herself to come in and tell you what parts of your home pose a risk before deciding to move.
—Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2025
And today there are services that can analyze a stool sample and tell you what kind of bacteria populate your gut.
—Priya Krishna, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“(I/I'll) tell you what.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/%28I%2FI%27ll%29%20tell%20you%20what. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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