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
Relevance
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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Automakers and cell manufacturers require extensive testing before approving new suppliers, particularly for materials directly affecting battery performance and safety.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
31 May 2026 -
While several ambitious Democratic governors emerged as leading voices of opposition to the administration, Whitmer adopted a more conciliatory approach, emphasizing cooperation with the White House on issues affecting Michigan.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
Verb
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In a loss, OpenAI could face pressure to implement remedies like age-gating free ChatGPT accounts to protect kids, shutting down conversations that discuss violence and suicide, and removing features that the state says deceptively make ChatGPT feel like talking to a human.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
1 June 2026
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Cannavaro is not the first global football star to infiltrate Uzbek football (Rivaldo played for Bunyodkor for three years towards the end of his career) but his appointment certainly got a football-mad nation talking.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Evans said power limitations are already influencing economic development decisions.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
2 June 2026
-
This cooling shifts atmospheric circulation, influencing weather around the globe.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The resulting look will come off as effortless and casual, but distinctly elevated—perfect for impressing a date.—
Kelsey Stiegman,
Glamour,
27 May 2026
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Carson Benge went 2-for-2 with two RBI, impressing in his at-bats.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Earlier this year, the cofounder of payments firm Block announced that the company would lay off nearly half of its workforce, impacting about 4,000 staffers.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
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There was no earthquake nor anything impacting the ground, the USGS said.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
Verb
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But the mark goes beyond informing consumers.—
Roy Stephen Canivel,
Footwear News,
3 June 2026
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These efforts are also informing the design of GE Aerospace’s open-rotor engine under the Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) program.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The popping and pinging of bats during two-hour sessions with Vasquez Duran and Sandoval feeding each other groundballs and trading turns touching second before rotating and throwing to first.—
Ethan Hanson,
Daily News,
2 June 2026
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So your colleague, Jeremy Jacobs, wrote this piece for STAT back in 2025, touching on this topic before your study was published more recently.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Those vibes were in full flow on Friday, with the difference between the two sides striking on the eve of the final.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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There has been striking growth in China’s rocket body mass.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
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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 4 Jun. 2026.
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