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
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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
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Cutting federal funding In a move that affects public school students across the country, the department has slashed hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding for a variety of programs, including for mental health professionals and for training and supporting new teachers.—
Megan O’Matz,
ProPublica,
10 Oct. 2025 -
Financial issues were also affecting other Catholic schools, and the diocese was studying how to reverse the trend.—
Jan Goldsmith,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As most pregnant people can attest, talking to your baby while they are still safely tucked away in the womb is one of the most comforting ways to feel that the two of you are connected.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
8 Oct. 2025
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Alice Marie Johnson, some people are trying to talk to Trump at Mar-a-Lago, some people are trying to get on Fox News to pitch their case.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Solvay tried to influence the EPA over the drinking water limit the agency set for PFNA and other chemicals in the class, according to lobbying records.—
Sharon Lerner,
ProPublica,
10 Oct. 2025
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And people just like deer, Caudell said, which also influences the population size the DNR manages toward.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Every candle in the collection impresses, but Côté Maquis stands out with an elusive, intoxicating aroma that’s hard to describe yet instantly captivating.—
Michael Stefanov,
Robb Report,
14 Oct. 2025
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Their perspective seems to point to the fact that more practical, hard skills—such as how credit scores work, or how to pay off credit card debt—are valued over the soft skills that great works of literature might impress on young minds.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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What has lived as a secret sauce inside Carlyle for more than a decade might now inform policymakers flying blind.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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Potts informed reporters on Wednesday that three people injured during the attack are still hospitalized.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Gambling addiction, which impacts a little over 1% of the population, has led some to gamble away unemployment checks and even lose their homes.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
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Middle-income enrollees are expected to be heavily impacted by significantly higher costs, and those with an income above 400% of federal poverty guidelines, and would lose subsidies entirely.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Pack them in, but make sure they are spaced at least 1 inch apart and don't touch the sides of the containers.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
13 Oct. 2025
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Indeed, on many occasions, Alarr forcefully touched Plaintiff without her consent during dry blocking of scenes.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Of course, there's the obvious parallel of a green dress here, but Condon was particularly struck by the number's arrangement of bodies in space.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Oct. 2025
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Often a thorn in the side of leadership, Massie is unlikely to strike any deal with leadership to avoid a vote on releasing the Epstein files.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tell (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell%20%28on%29. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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