1
as in to affect
to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response
the pressure of final exams is beginning to tell on the students in the dorm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to talk
to give information (as to the authorities) about another's improper or unlawful activities
detectives convinced the perpetrators in custody to tell on their associates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tell (on)
Verb
-
Meanwhile, each time the barriers are raised, the lagoon is effectively closed off — which not only affects traffic coming into Venice (Italy’s second busiest port, and the fifth in the Mediterranean), but prevents the lagoon’s natural action of flushing itself out with the tides.—
Julia Buckley,
CNN Money,
4 May 2025 -
Naps may also affect you differently with either condition.5 There are two types of narcolepsy with slightly different symptoms, as well.—
Mark Gurarie,
Health,
3 May 2025
Verb
-
At private dinners throughout Rome and at formal gatherings of hundreds of cardinals, talk among church leaders of who will next lead the church has certainly already begun.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
-
And the competition has become fierce: Never in human history have there been so many people talking to so many other people for public consumption, entertainment or education, on podcasts and panels and personal appearances.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2025
Verb
-
This journey is often deeply influenced by the unique dynamics and values of each family.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
-
This ethos has also influenced how Nkanga thinks of sculpture itself—not as an inert entity, but something that lives both physically and conceptually.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
3 May 2025
Verb
-
David looked up to his older brother, impressed by his smarts and sense of independence, and wanted to be like him.—
Serge F. Kovaleski,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
-
My test scores were at the top of the class, my presentations were spot on and my analytical skills impressed the evaluators.—
Aslak de Silva,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
During the April 29 season ender, Serena — who foolishly thought her work bestie, Matt, was going to ask another St. Denis nurse out on a date — was informed by colleagues Val and Bruce that Matt’s infatuated with her, not Holly.—
Rebecca Luther,
TVLine,
4 May 2025
-
The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
4 May 2025
Verb
-
Then, Paul looked at how the current sky above was impacting my astrological fate.—
Jessie Rosen,
People.com,
3 May 2025
-
Is There Any Correlation of EA Stock With Peer Earnings? Occasionally, peer performance can impact post-earnings stock reaction.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
3 May 2025
Verb
-
Others, mainly the vegetables, feel more touched by Clark’s taste and experiences as a chef.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
2 May 2025
-
The social media giant touches more than 3 billion users a day.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
Virtue, who scored 102 goals this season, struck the back of the net three times, while sophomore Lexington Zorumski and seventh grader Katerina Koutrakos each added two for the Scots.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2025
-
The suspect allegedly pointed the gun, which had an extended magazine, at the officer, who opened fire, fatally striking the teen.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
3 May 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Tell (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell%20%28on%29. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share