tells; told
ˈtoʊld 
; telling
; telling
1
a
: to say or write (something) to (someone)
He told us the story.
Has she told you the good news, yet?
Please tell us your name and occupation.
She looked at the palm of my hand and told me my fortune.
I promise not to tell anyone your secret. = I promise not to tell your secret to anyone.
—often + aboutYou can tell me all about your trip at dinner.
—often + thatIf you see her, tell her (that) we miss her.
People tell me (that) Paris is nice this time of year.
I keep telling myself (that) everything will be OK.
My husband tells/told me (that) you play golf.
—often + what, where, etc.He told us what happened.
Can you tell them how to play the game while I get the cards?
I can't tell you how pleased we are [=we are very pleased] that you could join us.
Note: This sense of tell is often used informally to emphasize a statement.
b
: to say (a word or words) to (someone)
I didn't get a chance to tell him goodbye. [=to say goodbye to him]
If you see her, tell her hello for me.
"I feel sick," he told his mom.
2
a
: to give information to (someone) by speaking or writing
"What is his name?" "I don't know. He didn't tell me."
Be sure to tell me when they get here. = When they get here, be sure to tell me (so).
"I know the answer." "Don't tell me. [=don't say what the answer is] I want to guess."
"Do you know where the library is?" "I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you." [=I don't know]
"Who is the letter from?" "I'm not telling."
b
: to let (someone) know a secret
I promise not to tell anyone.
I can't tell you because it's a secret.
Your secret is safe with me: I'll never tell.
3
: to express (something) by speaking
He loves telling stories/jokes.
You shouldn't tell [=reveal] other people's secrets.
She got in trouble for telling a lie.
I'm telling the truth.
I didn't really like the movie, to tell the truth. [=to say what I really think]
Truth be told [=to say what the truth is], the food was pretty bad.
4
: to give (someone) an instruction or command
Be quiet and do what I tell you. = Be quiet and do as you're told.
—usually followed by to + verbThe police officer told him to stop.
I was told to stay here.
I'll tell them to meet us there at 6 o'clock.
I told myself to pick up some milk on the way home, but I forgot to do it.
You can't tell me what to do.
5
: to inform others that someone has done something wrong or behaved badly
—used especially by children
If you do that, I'll tell.
I'm telling Mom.
6
: to give information to (someone or something) by doing a particular action or making a particular sound
When the dog scratches at the door, she is telling you that she wants to go outside.
The oven will beep to tell you when it is preheated.
7
: to make (something) known to (someone)
The expressions on their faces told me everything I needed to know.
The evidence tells us that there were two robbers.
The signs will tell you what exit to take off the highway.
8
not used in progressive tenses
: to see or understand the differences between two people or things
I can definitely tell a/the difference between the two sauces.
They look exactly the same. How can you tell which is which?
I can't tell who is who with their uniforms on.
He is old enough to tell right from wrong. [=to know what things are good and what things are bad]
9
not used in progressive tenses
: to see or know (something) with certainty
It was easy to tell that the bill was counterfeit.
It's hard to tell if she's kidding or not.
—usually used after can or could"He's lying." "Really? How can you tell?"
I could tell (by/from the look on his face) that he was lying.
You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of car they drive.
No one can tell for sure whether it will happen.
Who can tell [=who can predict] what will happen next season?
You can never tell what type of mood he will be in.
You never can tell how he'll be feeling.
You might win the raffle—you never can tell.
As far/near as I can tell, he is happy at his new job. [=he seems to me to be happy in his new job]
Cite this Entry
“Tell.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/tell. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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