TELLS (ON) Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

tells (on)

verb

present tense third-person singular of tell (on)

as in influences

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

as in talks

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 tells (on)

Verb

As the world influences the object, changing its state, the arrow turns smoothly through Hilbert space.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
The right dose, delivered consistently and appropriately, influences outcomes.

— John Graham Harper, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of influences

Verb

Abdul-Mateen, who previously won an Emmy for his role on HBO’s Watchmen and was Tony-nominated for Topdog/Underdog, talks to Vanity Fair about his show’s sudden cancellation, his newest hobby, and being kinder to himself.

— Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 20 Aug. 2026
Patrick, who talks regularly with Ford and Moore, agreed, saying that is not just how a governor does the job, but how a candidate wins it in the first place.

— Steven Sloan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of talks

Verb

Loyola also started a return-to-school program because students with concussions have headaches that also affects their school work.

— Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
This primarily affects managed PCs, and so Microsoft has warned IT admins to let users know this is coming — otherwise the force restart will come as a major surprise.

— Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of affects

Verb

Creator instinct informs what gets made, how it is presented and how quickly the team responds.

— Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
When the Pogues return to Kildare from Azerbaijan, Rose informs them that Groff stole the Royal Merchant gold from her after trying to kill her.

— Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of informs

Verb

Drew Allar impresses in preseason debut against Packers The Steelers' third-round pick out of Penn State this past year went 10 for 13 for 154 yards and three touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers.

— Patrick Damp, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
The arts scene impresses, too, with several galleries sprinkled throughout town.

— Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of impresses

Verb

The potential for misuse and physical dependence impacts the severity of adverse effects linked to buprenorphine.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
This could relate to something unexpected that impacts your money, possessions or your earnings.

— Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of impacts

Verb

According to health officials, exposure to rabies can also happen when a person touches a bat's saliva or brain tissue or wakes up with one in their bedroom.

— Nicholas Lentz, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
However, giving it to someone else can lead to germs being transferred, especially with makeup that touches the lips or eyes.

— Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of touches

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

tells off

tells (on)

telltale

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tells (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tells%20%28on%29. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of tells (on)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gumption

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes