1
as in affecting
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 talking
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 telling (on)
Verb
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Hyper- and hypoglycemia cause symptoms affecting brain function, mood, and other body systems.—
Amber J. Tresca,
Verywell Health,
6 Sep. 2025 -
Curious to know how your self-awareness is affecting your relationships?—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Most of the clientele were families of Asian tourists, talking neither to us nor among themselves.—
Joe Joyce,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Then a production assistant — a famously low-paying, entry-level job on film and TV sets — McGuirk happened to be near the camera operator, who was talking on the phone, when a colleague radioed to ask him to attend a rehearsal.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The monitors helped study participants needs such as food and restroom breaks, but the monitors were instructed not to provide any therapy to avoid influencing the study's results.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The primordial magnetic fields likely increased the cosmic web’s density, which would have sped up the formation of stars and galaxies, thereby influencing the universe’s current structure.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sione Vaki of the Detroit Lions went viral for his vocals during his rookie year in 2024, impressing coach Dan Campbell who spoke at length about it during a press conference after the musical moment.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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Matthew quickly schemes his way into Oliver’s orbit after that first performance, impressing and rankling the group of lackeys in his entourage at the same time.—
Eric Torres,
Pitchfork,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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My job is to work on in-depth reporting about how some of the industry's biggest stories are impacting Louisville and Kentucky athletics.—
Payton Titus,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Sep. 2025
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The combination of the two moves should help Starbucks realize a more efficient supply chain, leading to lower costs (and in turn margin expansion), without negatively impacting the the customer experience.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Rafael Nadal was famous for pulling at his shorts, tucking his hair behind his ears, and touching his nose, for example, while Serena Williams was known to bounce her ball a specific number of times (five on the first serve, and two on the second).—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
5 Sep. 2025
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And also as an only child that's touching to see them together.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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These measurements are fundamental to understanding how greenhouse gas emissions relate to rising temperatures, simultaneously contributing to scientific research and informing policymakers of compliance with environmental regulations.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
6 Sep. 2025
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The residents of Leith, North Dakota, did this by creating a website informing people about what was happening in their community.—
Paul J. Becker,
The Conversation,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His ex-girlfriend accused him of striking her on the back of the head and slapping her during a June 15 altercation.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
21 Aug. 2025
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As a private-sector worker myself who has always had that right, I was stunned to learn that for decades, Maryland’s public employees, including teachers, have been legally barred from striking.—
Tim Wright,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Telling (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/telling%20%28on%29. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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