tell (on)

verb

Definition of tell (on)next
1
as in to affect
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to talk
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 tell (on)
  1. affect
  2. talk
  3. influence
  4. inform
  5. impress
  6. impact
  7. touch
  8. strike
Verb
  • Smiling can affect brain chemicals that are associated with positive feelings including endorphins, dopamine and serotonin.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by warmer waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean that spur changes in the atmosphere that can affect weather around the world.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of affect
Verb
  • Negating the new map On the trail, Jeffries and Garcia talked less about their relationship.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In the driveway, next to a yellow pizza box, Litberg could be seen talking and signing to his workers.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of talk
Verb
  • As voters decide which party can best rescue their chance at the American Dream, political experts say prolonged economic hardship is the defining feature influencing voters in the midterms.
    — Amy L. Wong, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Over the last two years Chuwi has traveled around the globe, and the foursome confirm that will influence their next project.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of influence
Verb
  • There is not a verifiable document about employees who have been informed about their responsibility to report health issues.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The statement doesn’t amount to an endorsement, a spokesperson for Caruso said, but instead simply informs people for whom Caruso planned to vote.
    — Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of inform
Verb
  • Having an audience will yield a favorable or adverse outcome, and that outcome hinges largely on one’s ability to impress, or at least satisfy, those who sit in judgment.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Woodall admitted that Dornan’s performance truly impressed him.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of impress
Verb
  • Our hearts are with the families whose homes and livelihoods have been impacted.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
  • And rather than wait for a reason to smile, just making the physical change of literally turning that frown upside down could impact emotions, according to experts.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of impact
Verb
  • Someone else touched his face and a clean tong without washing hands between those two actions.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Woodman said in prior reporting that Tori Borst of the Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce intervened during the interaction, telling Andreatta to stop touching Pagano and step back.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of touch
Verb
  • Depending on your tolerance for grand aims and liturgical self-seriousness, her latest album may strike you as extraordinary or unbearable.
    — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Naz Reid struck fire midway through the fourth, executing, in quick succession, plays on both ends of the court.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of strike
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

tell off
tell (on)
tells
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Cite this Entry

“Tell (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell%20%28on%29. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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