telling (on)

verb

Definition of telling (on)next
present participle of tell (on)
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)
  1. affecting
  2. talking
  3. influencing
  4. informing
  5. impressing
  6. impacting
  7. touching
  8. striking
Verb
  • Another complicating factor is that whatever is impacting recent college graduates also seems to be affecting young people who don’t have a degree.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Harder to pay down debt The relentlessly high gas prices are exacerbating the affordability crisis affecting many Americans.
    — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of affecting
Verb
  • This is Edward, the aging King of England, talking to the ambitious noble Harold Godwinson.
    — John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
  • While talking with reporters Wednesday, Payton was asked how Denver was preparing for Mahomes, who is coming off major knee surgery in December.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of talking
Verb
  • Since their initial coming together, the oil and automotive industries have remained interlocked, the availability of oil influencing the character and direction of the car industry.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Much like with Selena, Cruz has been influencing Beyoncé’s music for years.
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of influencing
Verb
  • The authors would like to thank HKU Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science for providing research funding informing this article.
    — Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The California Department of Social Services sent a letter Tuesday to the nonprofit network overseeing the program, informing it that the program will end in 30 days.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of informing
Verb
  • He was promoted into that global role in 2024, after previously impressing as Forest’s head of recruitment, following the club’s promotion to the Premier League in 2022.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Granite Bay’s Isaiah Ene earns keep A four-year varsity starter at Granite Bay High in Placer County, Isaiah Ene earned his playing time in the opener after impressing coaches at running back in fall camp.
    — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of impressing
Verb
  • Because those highly competitive spaces tend to be spaces that end up impacting the rest of the world.
    — David Katz, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The slate includes a game in Germany, Spain and France — giving fans more European choices and possibly impacting London demand.
    — Ken Maguire, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of impacting
Verb
  • Spanning automotive, steel, and agriculture, as well as government procurement, market access, and the future architecture of North American trade rules, the confrontation is now touching the deepest foundations of their economic relationship.
    — , CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The trade-off is that every option involves adhesive touching a surface.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of touching
Verb
  • The Federal Aviation Administration and Amazon confirmed the plane came down striking multiple vehicles.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Smith answered Saturday against Ball State, catching eight passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns — all before halftime — and striking the pose after his second score.
    — Manny Navarro, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of striking
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.

Browse Nearby Words

telling off
telling (on)
tell (of)
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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 13 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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