tell on
phrasal verb
told on; telling on; tells on
1
informal
: to tell someone in authority about the bad behavior or actions of (someone else)
Please don't tell on me.
2
: to have a noticeable effect on (someone or something)
The stress began to tell on her face/health.
Examples of tell on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This was a stark departure from the standard practice and what borrowers had been previously told on federal websites.
—
Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
What to Know Around 300 staff members at the NNSA were told on Thursday that they were being fired as part of ongoing plans to reduce federal spending.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 16 Feb. 2025
Nvidia was told on April 9 that its H20 chip will be subject to licensing for export to China.
—R. Scott Raynovich, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Anyone who knows the suspect and wants to tell on him can contact Corporal Josh Wang at 650-375-7470.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell on
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.
Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
What to Know Around 300 staff members at the NNSA were told on Thursday that they were being fired as part of ongoing plans to reduce federal spending.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 16 Feb. 2025
Nvidia was told on April 9 that its H20 chip will be subject to licensing for export to China.
—R. Scott Raynovich, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Anyone who knows the suspect and wants to tell on him can contact Corporal Josh Wang at 650-375-7470.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell on
Cite this Entry
“Tell on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tell%20on. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share