telling 1 of 2

adjective

ˈte-liŋ How to pronounce telling (audio)
Definition of tellingnext
as in convincing
having the power to persuade presented us with telling evidence that convinced us he was right

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

telling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of tell
1
as in describing
to give an oral or written account of in some detail they told the story of how they had met

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2
as in saying
to express (a thought or emotion) in words just tell us what is in your heart

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in counting
to find the sum of (a collection of things) by noting each one as it is being added who can tell the number of grains of sand in the world?

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4
as in informing
to give information to tell me, when did you begin playing the violin?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in instructing
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority told us to sit still and wait

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in disclosing
to make known (as information previously kept secret) I won't tell your secret to anyone

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word telling different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of telling are cogent, convincing, sound, and valid. While all these words mean "having such force as to compel serious attention and usually acceptance," telling stresses an immediate and crucial effect striking at the heart of a matter.

a telling example of bureaucratic waste

When would cogent be a good substitute for telling?

Although the words cogent and telling have much in common, cogent may stress either weight of sound argument and evidence or lucidity of presentation.

the prosecutor's cogent summation won over the jury

When is it sensible to use convincing instead of telling?

The synonyms convincing and telling are sometimes interchangeable, but convincing suggests a power to overcome doubt, opposition, or reluctance to accept.

a convincing argument for welfare reform

When is sound a more appropriate choice than telling?

The words sound and telling can be used in similar contexts, but sound implies a basis of flawless reasoning or of solid grounds.

a sound proposal for reviving the economy

Where would valid be a reasonable alternative to telling?

While the synonyms valid and telling are close in meaning, valid implies being supported by objective truth or generally accepted authority.

a valid reason for being absent
a valid marriage

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of telling
Adjective
Perhaps the most telling trend is the return of whimsy. —Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 19 Jan. 2026 The most telling thing about time-traveling back to 2016 online, Maddox said, is the polarized response to the trend itself. —Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 17 Jan. 2026
Verb
Lucy alone at the side of a road, the sun still rising, no one telling her what to feel or even who to be. —Jp Mangalindan, Time, 17 Feb. 2026 Officers are walking away and telling their sons and daughters to avoid the career altogether. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 17 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for telling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for telling
  1. convincing
  2. describing
  3. saying
  4. counting
  5. informing
  6. instructing
  7. disclosing
  8. compelling
Adjective
  • These four novels create a convincing, wrenching, kaleidoscopic picture of the range and repetitions of the most fatal kind of love; the sort of love that allows nothing else to grow around it, that eradicates all dignity; a love which, in order to be completed, must be told.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
  • The imitators are increasingly convincing, especially as AI image and video generators get better by the day.
    — John Whyte, STAT, 17 Feb. 2026
Definition of convincing
Verb
  • Some of Jackson's children spoke to CBS News Chicago, describing both the weight of this loss and the global impact their father leaves behind.
    — Darius Johnson, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Brian Lyons said, describing the wind event as moving in very quickly.
    — Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Definition of describing
Verb
  • The Department of Homeland Security is continuing to fight Vedam’s release, saying in a statement Monday that the vacation of his conviction will not deter its efforts.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Maybe Whitney Halberstram is a construction, just like his detractors have been saying all along.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
Definition of saying
Verb
  • Not counting preventive care and three covered primary care doctor visits, that spending target must be met before a policy’s other coverage kicks in.
    — Julie Appleby, Miami Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
  • In all, Heat players previously have made 14 appearances in the 3-point contest, when counting the two appearances apiece by Jon Sunvold, Glen Rice, Daequan Cook, Jones and Herro, and single appearances by Kapono, Mario Chalmers, Duncan Robinson and current Heat assistant coach Wayne Ellington.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of counting
Verb
  • So this is about informing, educating, and activating people.
    — Jack Fink, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Success will be measured by how effective the office is in informing the public and policy leaders about the consequences of inaction on urgent priorities, from our schools to hospitals and the grid.
    — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of informing
Verb
  • The lawsuit also seeks an order instructing OpenLoop to pay for lifetime credit monitoring and identity-theft insurance for all class members.
    — Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 20 Feb. 2026
  • One person’s voice is heard in the video instructing people which batch to light first.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Definition of instructing
Verb
  • The pressure to keep exile concealed—to keep it invisible—mounts when disclosing the reasons motivating the journey would put travelers at risk.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
  • The clinic and McNichol’s attorney said the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, often called HIPAA, means health care providers are prohibited from disclosing information about a patient’s health, unless the patient agrees in writing.
    — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2026
Definition of disclosing
Adjective
  • The minibar is a compelling decorative touch on its own, set inside a dedicated cupboard and features an array of local, gourmet snacks, antiqued wine and cocktail glasses, and an anniversary edition of the 1935 Illy espresso machine for your morning and afternoon coffees.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
  • As a means of generating its own conceptions of goodness that feel compelling to most human beings, its record is quite mixed, perhaps because that’s not what it was ever designed to do.
    — Christopher Beha, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of compelling

Browse Nearby Words

tellies
telling
telling (of)
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Cite this Entry

“Telling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/telling. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on telling

Nglish: Translation of telling for Spanish Speakers

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