TELLING (ON) Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

telling (on)

verb

Definition of telling (on)

present participle of tell (on)

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

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

The effects of weather disruptions ripple through regional supply chains, affecting everything from aviation and manufacturing to insurance and public health.

— Karryl Kim Sagun Trajano, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026
Meanwhile, reports have emerged of a minor vulnerability affecting the Bitkey bitcoin hardware wallet developed by Jack Dorsey’s Block payments company.

— Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of affecting

Verb

Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh has been talking a big game for months about fighting inflation, but failure to signal an intention to follow through soon has Wall Street questioning his commitment to price stability.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026
Slot has stayed quiet and out of the limelight since he was sacked by Liverpool a week after the end of his second season in charge, instead choosing to do the talking in his own head.

— Gregg Evans, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of talking

Verb

Corporate officials reached out to Murrell later that day and apologized to her, informing her that the driver was no longer working for FedEx.

— Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026
Page’s character Sinon is the soldier tasked with informing the Trojans that the Trojan Horse is a gift from the Greeks, imploring them to drag the giant statue into the city with Odysseus, Menelaus (Jon Bernthal) and more soldiers inside.

— Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Definition of informing

Verb

Both youngsters were snapped up in January after impressing at the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Kirwin, a journeyman right-hander, earned his opportunity with the Red Sox in 2024 after impressing scouts with a 98 mph fastball in independent baseball.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of impressing

Verb

Scheer warns that a lack of trust significantly erodes loyalty, innovation, and retention, impacting revenue and growth.

— Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
Any issue impacting adoption could hurt X Money’s long-term success, and these aren’t the only speedbumps users may hit, an Ars review of X Money FAQs and web materials suggests.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 29 July 2026

Definition of impacting

Verb

In addition to the startling experience of touching the remains of an animal that lived hundreds of millions of years ago, contact with the Mastodonsaurus offers an opportunity to reflect on the future, those involved in the project said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
As a result, the person could control the robotic hand without touching it.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of touching

Verb

But the Owens family’s 300-year-old curse carries one generation forward, striking Sally’s daughter Kylie and her lover (Xolo Maridueña), who gets hit by a car while bicycling with several bouquets of roses.

— Angelique Jackson, Variety, 2 Aug. 2026
Investigators allege Zhengfeng then approached the open trunk and fired a gun into it before deputies returned fire, striking him.

— Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 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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“Telling (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/telling%20%28on%29. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of telling (on)

verb

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