tell on
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
People have a way of telling on themselves.
—
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The Brownsville Fire Department was also dispatched, but they were told on arrival that SpaceX’s emergency medical services were handling the situation, Cameron County Sheriff Manuel Treviño told the outlets.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
Obviously, time will tell on that.
—Chris McKenna, New York Times, 14 May 2026
The conversation zeroes in on what actually moves the needle for authentic stories told on micro-, low-, and medium‑budget levels, featuring a dynamic lineup of industry-leading legal experts, influential executives, and acclaimed filmmakers.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tell on
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Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The Brownsville Fire Department was also dispatched, but they were told on arrival that SpaceX’s emergency medical services were handling the situation, Cameron County Sheriff Manuel Treviño told the outlets.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
Obviously, time will tell on that.
—Chris McKenna, New York Times, 14 May 2026
The conversation zeroes in on what actually moves the needle for authentic stories told on micro-, low-, and medium‑budget levels, featuring a dynamic lineup of industry-leading legal experts, influential executives, and acclaimed filmmakers.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 11 May 2026
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. 2026.
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