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
Jesse also tells on himself during this confrontation.
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 28 May 2025
New York has told on itself a few times throughout this postseason, most notably in Game 6 against Boston.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Over the ensuing months, her story has been denied by the 4:44 rapper’s legal team and became inconsistent when told on public platforms.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 14 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for tell on
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Brian Moylan, Vulture, 28 May 2025
New York has told on itself a few times throughout this postseason, most notably in Game 6 against Boston.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Over the ensuing months, her story has been denied by the 4:44 rapper’s legal team and became inconsistent when told on public platforms.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 14 Apr. 2025
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
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 5 Jun. 2025.
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