tell of

phrasal verb

told of; telling of; tells of
formal + literary
1
: to be evidence of (something) : to indicate
Her smile told of her good news.
His rough hands tell of a hard life.
2
: to describe (something) : to make the details of (something) known
The article tells of her Arctic journey.
3
: to talk to (someone) about (something)
He told us of his plans to move to the city.

Examples of tell of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Playful objects and artworks, including vintage Longchamp pieces such as cigarette dispensers, tobacco weights and gaming tracks, tell of the brand’s storied past, one that began as a producer of tobacco pipe coverings. Denni Hu, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025 As vital benefits that help feed more than 40 million people are hours away from running out, SNAP users have told of their frustration and fear. Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025 Once players were told of their new starting times, all 20 spots at the driving range filled up quickly. Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025 Children’s first story arc told of a town plagued by monsters that feast on children, with one teen survivor telling tales that no adult believes. Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tell of

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tell of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tell%20of. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!