telling

1 of 2

adjective

tell·​ing ˈte-liŋ 

: carrying great weight and producing a marked effect : effective, expressive

the most telling evidence

tellingly

ˈte-liŋ-lē 

adverb

telling

2 of 2

present participle of tell entry 1

Synonyms of telling

Adjective

• convincing
• compelling
• conclusive

Choose the Right Synonym for telling

valid, sound, cogent, convincing, telling mean having such force as to compel serious attention and usually acceptance.

valid implies being supported by objective truth or generally accepted authority.

a valid reason for being absent

a valid marriage

sound implies a basis of flawless reasoning or of solid grounds.

a sound proposal for reviving the economy

cogent may stress either weight of sound argument and evidence or lucidity of presentation.

the prosecutor's cogent summation won over the jury

convincing suggests a power to overcome doubt, opposition, or reluctance to accept.

a convincing argument for welfare reform

telling stresses an immediate and crucial effect striking at the heart of a matter.

a telling example of bureaucratic waste

Examples of telling in a Sentence

Adjective

Her experience is a telling example of why the nation's educational system needs to be changed.

The most telling moment in the case was when the victim took the stand.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In my own opinion, this coincidence is very telling, like a scarlet letter. — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026

The most telling details of the painting are revealed through technical analysis, using a number of scans and a conservator’s favorite tool — the headband magnifiers known as optivisors. — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

The incident also evoked a potentially telling reaction from Alexander Sosnowski, a pro-Kremlin propagandist who regularly appears as a guest on Russian state television. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026

Perhaps the most telling example of Season 4 character development (or lack thereof) happens in the first episode. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1819, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing telling

• I don't mind telling you
• there's no telling
• you're telling me

Rhymes for telling

• belling
• celling
• dwelling
• fehling
• felling
• gelling
• pelling
• quelling
• selling
• shelling
• smelling
• spelling

Kids Definition

telling

adjective

tell·​ing

ˈtel-iŋ

: producing a noticeable effect : effective

the most telling evidence

tellingly

-iŋ-lē

adverb