telling

1 of 2

adjective

tell·​ing ˈte-liŋ 

: carrying great weight and producing a marked effect : effective, expressive

the most telling evidence

tellingly

ˈte-liŋ-lē 

adverb

telling

2 of 2

present participle of tell entry 1

Synonyms of telling

Adjective

• convincing
• compelling
• conclusive

Choose the Right Synonym for telling

valid, sound, cogent, convincing, telling mean having such force as to compel serious attention and usually acceptance.

valid implies being supported by objective truth or generally accepted authority.

a valid reason for being absent

a valid marriage

sound implies a basis of flawless reasoning or of solid grounds.

a sound proposal for reviving the economy

cogent may stress either weight of sound argument and evidence or lucidity of presentation.

the prosecutor's cogent summation won over the jury

convincing suggests a power to overcome doubt, opposition, or reluctance to accept.

a convincing argument for welfare reform

telling stresses an immediate and crucial effect striking at the heart of a matter.

a telling example of bureaucratic waste

Examples of telling in a Sentence

Adjective

Her experience is a telling example of why the nation's educational system needs to be changed.

The most telling moment in the case was when the victim took the stand.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The speed of adoption is perhaps the most telling sign of CreateOne’s impact. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026

As the largest collector of water from a network of thousands of streams, the Colorado is perhaps the region’s most telling indicator of aridification. — Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2026

But the most telling play of the game came at the end of the first half. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2026

The Hurricanes’ performance on Friday was pretty telling, too. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1819, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing telling

• I don't mind telling you
• there's no telling
• you're telling me

Rhymes for telling

• belling
• celling
• dwelling
• fehling
• felling
• gelling
• pelling
• quelling
• selling
• shelling
• smelling
• spelling

Kids Definition

telling

adjective

tell·​ing

ˈtel-iŋ

: producing a noticeable effect : effective

the most telling evidence

tellingly

-iŋ-lē

adverb