Synonyms of telltale

telltale 1 of 2

adjective

as in indicative

indicating something

I know you've been eating chocolate because of the telltale smudges on your face

Synonyms & Similar Words

• indicative
• reflective
• characteristic
• denotative
• significant
• denoting
• signifying
• referring
• symbolic
• symptomatic
• allusive
• expressive
• alluding
• demonstrative
• suggestive
• exhibiting
• hinting
• insinuating
• implying
• connoting

telltale

2 of 2

noun

ˈtel-ˌtāl 

1

as in gossiper

a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others

the media's professional telltales have basically decided that today's celebrities have no right to privacy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gossiper
• gossip
• informant
• informer
• circulator
• newsmonger
• yenta
• talebearer
• tattletale
• tattler
• stool pigeon
• gossipmonger
• tale-teller
• squealer
• quidnunc
• blabbermouth
• betrayer
• snitcher
• scandalmonger
• libeler

2

as in informant

a person who provides information about another's wrongdoing

the department telltale told the boss that his coworkers were taking extra long breaks

Synonyms & Similar Words

• informant
• informer
• canary
• rat
• reporter
• tattletale
• tattler
• snitch
• betrayer
• stool pigeon
• stoolie
• squealer
• snitcher
• nark
• deep throat
• spy
• talebearer
• fink
• rat fink
• tipster
• snoop
• discloser
• notifier
• blabbermouth
• gossiper
• leaker
• snooper
• gossip
• whistleblower
• exposer
• blabber

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of telltale

Adjective

But the Jack-o’-Lantern’s telltale gills, or long, deep slits under the cap, will set you straight, since the chicken of the woods has pores underneath instead. — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 2026

Approaching the plant, there are no telltale dumb-bell silhouettes on the horizon signaling its presence. — Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

There are certain indicators that the college football season is right around the corner, and one of the biggest telltale signs is the release of the preseason polls. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026

The majority gain their telltale flavor from aniseed extract; the Marches, however, realized that a slow infusion of oils from star anise produced the most elegant, subtle expression. — Brian Freedman, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

There are a few telltale signs that your HVAC system is struggling to keep up with the heat; some are sneakier than others. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 31 July 2026

Commercial opportunities The telltale giant golf balls at Buckley Space Force Base, on the western edge of America’s high plains, are radar domes designed to protect the sensitive antennas inside. — Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 30 July 2026

In 2023 a team using eROSITA, an x-ray telescope launched in 2019, found evidence of a plasma shell structure heated to more than eight million degrees Celsius, but the telltale glow remained elusive. — Damien Pine, Scientific American, 21 July 2026

The telltale sign of a cyclospora infection is frequent, watery diarrhea. — Elise Haulund, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Noun

Images must be taken at a high cadence, at least every few minutes or so, to spot the telltale tweak to a star’s brightness as it’s microlensed by a relatively small PBH. — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 4 June 2026

Torry’s wife, a speech therapist, noticed concerning telltales that led to a diagnosis 14 years ago, when Torry was only 40 years old. — Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 1 May 2026

However, when outflows from young stars strike surrounding molecular clouds, shockwaves are created that heat matter and cause molecular hydrogen to emit telltale emissions. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Nov. 2025

That was a big telltale for the song. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025

After two months, there was an average 45% increase in new eyelash growth without the telltale darkening of skin and eye color that often comes with PGA formulas. — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 17 Jan. 2025

Tents selling fireworks all over the county are opening and the telltale pops, booms and bangs can be heard far and wide leading up to Independence Day. — Andy Humbles, The Tennessean, 22 June 2024

The thief slowly turns the dial, listening for the telltale clicks or resistance that might hint at the inner workings of the safe's gears and reveal its combination. — Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 21 June 2020