1
as in to describe
to give an oral or written account of in some detail
they told the story of how they had met
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to say
to express (a thought or emotion) in words
just tell us what is in your heart
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in to inform
to give information to
tell me, when did you begin playing the violin?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to instruct
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority
told us to sit still and wait
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to reveal
to make known (as information previously kept secret)
I won't tell your secret to anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tell
Halaena can tell that something’s up with mummy, but that kook’s never been too concerned with matters of court.
—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
Kathy Hendrickson came from Newington to try the free lessons after a friend who rows told her about it.
—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
Tim Drea, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, told the Tribune.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
An official with knowledge of the talks later told the AP the Iranian delegation remained engaged in the talks and has not indicated to mediators any intention to leave.
—
ABC News,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tell
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
Kathy Hendrickson came from Newington to try the free lessons after a friend who rows told her about it.
—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
Tim Drea, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, told the Tribune.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
An official with knowledge of the talks later told the AP the Iranian delegation remained engaged in the talks and has not indicated to mediators any intention to leave.
—
ABC News,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tell
Verb
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The offender is described as an African-American man between 40-45 years of age, weighing 180-200 pounds, and was last seen wearing a gray/black baseball cap, a light blue shirt, gray pants, and black gym shoes.
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Speaking on the achievement, Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier described the maiden flight as an important milestone for the company.
Verb
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Riccobono said that the training needs to start with something as basic as the right way to approach a blind passenger.
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Rejoining would also generate yet more uncertainty for companies which are only just adapting to the new trading relationship, said Sean McGuire, a director at the Confederation of British Industry, a business lobby group.
Verb
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One group counts $25 million in support from OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and his wife, Anna, alongside $100 million tied to one of Silicon Valley’s biggest venture capital firms, which holds a large stake in OpenAI.
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Eternal Sunshine, Thank U, Next, My Everything and Positions are counted among her half-dozen rulers.
Verb
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Former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been informed by the NFL that the league will not hold a supplemental draft prior to the 2026 season.
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Gonzalez worked to enforce a roadblock during the chemical plume without being informed about the dangers of inhaling the chemicals.
Verb
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Instead of paying for a dedicated customer relationship management (CRM) or project management tool, or a customer service platform, a business could theoretically instruct an AI agent to handle all of it.
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If there was any threshold of flooding at which sheltering in place would be abandoned and campers would be instructed how and where to evacuate to higher ground, that plan would have been known only to the camp’s co-executive director, Dick Eastland.
Verb
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Tree ring samples taken in areas previously hit by hurricanes can reveal not only the impact of long ago storms, but also recent storms, Trouet said.
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Videos and satellite imagery from the disaster zone reviewed by The Associated Press reveal scores of multistory buildings had collapsed.
Verb
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Ariana Madix serves as host while Iain Stirling narrates.
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The Toy Story star will return to narrate the second season, which will premiere in 2028.
Verb
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Robert, talk me through the thinking behind this framing.
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Seconds later, Hines-Allen decided she was done talking and shoved Bonner.
Cite this Entry
“Tell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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