told 1 of 2

past tense of tell
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2
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as in counted
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?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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told

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adjective

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 told
Adjective
Unwavering loyalty Schrandt told ABC News that any deportations to Afghanistan are an unacceptable outcome. Chris Boccia, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2025 David Glasser, the CEO of one of the show's production companies, 101 Studios, recently told The Fort Worth Star-Telegram that season 2 was set to begin production in the Lone Star State this month, despite the show not receiving an official renewal from Paramount yet. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2025 Lola told her parents on the show. Kirsty Hatcher, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025 The caller told police she had been told Lawson had killed his roommate the night of June 9, 2024, the affidavit states. Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2025 If told to evacuate, do so immediately. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025 The president told The Scott Jennings Radio Show that the concession resulted from his hard-nosed negotiating skills. Jamie McIntyre, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025 If told to evacuate, do so immediately. Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2025 Families are reevaluating whether the quick trip to the drive-through is worth the price, too, experts told USA TODAY. Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for told
Verb
  • That ban was seen by many as an attack on freedom of speech -- and an extension of what some described as the government's corrupt nature.
    Rajeev Tyagi, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Bella, now three and a half years old, was described by Overbye as calm, sensitive, quiet, smart, and playful.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • General maintenance takes place every four years and was last carried out in 2022, Bogas said, adding that weekly and monthly maintenance and daily inspections are also carried out.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Fraudulent pet listings are leaving victims emotionally devastated and financially drained, Dennis Horton, senior director of the Rockford Regional Office, said in the announcement.
    Abreanna Blose, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Maya the dog's vote counted in 2021 for the gubernatorial recall election because proof of residence or identification is not required to register to vote or cast a ballot in state elections, the DA's office said.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The inspector counted 68 cockroaches in the kitchen and more than 30 flies.
    Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • When people violate the rules, the policy instructs the officer to first work to educate the rider to make sure they’re informed, rather than step right to enforcement.
    Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Berry’s approach is informed very much by her own experiences coming up in the rough and tumble of investment banking.
    WWD Staff, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Other than making sure police are contacted, workers are instructed to take safety precautions and make sure that families understand the risk involved with the highly potent illicit drug.
    Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Bondi also instructed the board to reinstate the previous criteria that Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued in a 2018 case referred to as Matter of A-B-, per WSJ.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Tony didn’t find out about their daughter until after Ziva’s death, then father and daughter spent several years together before Ziva revealed the truth.
    Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The Athletic revealed last Wednesday that Brazilian Luiz Fernando Iubel has joined Liverpool as the club’s new individual development lead coach.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Instead, users who rely on ChatGPT, for example, for tips on handling their clinical depression are relying on the tool for a function that’s beyond its stated purpose.
    Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2025
  • In a franchise system, this shows in how the franchisor supports its owners, how decisions are made and whether the brand’s actions truly reflect its stated purpose.
    Gigi Schweikert, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Relatives of victims of a Boeing 737 Max 8 crash in October 2018 into a southeast Asian sea and in March 2019 into an Ethiopian field recounted their grief to Judge Reed O’Connor on Wednesday.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2025
  • And throughout a 100-minute show, Cain recounted the story of a preacher’s daughter through wailing vocals, haunting drones, and meditative, languorous chants.
    Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Told.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/told. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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