telling

adjective

tell·​ing ˈte-liŋ 

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

the most telling evidence

tellingly

ˈte-liŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• cogent
• compelling
• conclusive
• convincing
• decisive
• effective
• forceful
• persuasive
• satisfying
• strong

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

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

His 476 receiving yards were the fourth most on the team, and his three TD catches were tied for the most (which is good for Hooper but a pretty telling stat for the Patriots). —Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025

These traits were reproduced by altering just 20 genes—though the behavioral differences were even more telling, according to coverage by TIME. —Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025

Even more telling, according to Sun, was that Chinese authorities let the meme coin trend on social media for days. —Nina Bambysheva, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025

Perhaps an even more telling signal about where women’s sports are headed comes from who's putting their money behind these ventures. —Lindsey Darvin, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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