as in convincing
having the power to persuade
presented us with telling evidence that convinced us he was right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in describing
to give an oral or written account of in some detail
they told the story of how they had met
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2
as in saying
to express (a thought or emotion) in words
just tell us what is in your heart
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in counting
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
4
as in informing
to give information to
tell me, when did you begin playing the violin?
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in instructing
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority
told us to sit still and wait
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in disclosing
to make known (as information previously kept secret)
I won't tell your secret to anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of telling
John Davie,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
But the most telling sign of their friendship wasn’t the coordinating outfits or Shane’s supportive headwear, but the duo’s matching bags.
—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
19 May 2026
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
5 July 2026
And telling soldiers and sailors and airmen and Marines otherwise is not leadership.
—
Kyla Guilfoil,
NBC news,
5 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for telling
Adjective
But perhaps the most telling signal is that only 9% of workers, the people closest to the decisions, data and consequences, trust AI for complex, business-critical decisions.
—
John Davie,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
But the most telling sign of their friendship wasn’t the coordinating outfits or Shane’s supportive headwear, but the duo’s matching bags.
—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
19 May 2026
Verb
During Murdaugh’s first status hearing on Monday, June 29, Judge Debra McCaslin did not rule on the DNA evidence, telling defense attorneys to clarify if the sample was viable.
—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
5 July 2026
And telling soldiers and sailors and airmen and Marines otherwise is not leadership.
—
Kyla Guilfoil,
NBC news,
5 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for telling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for telling
Adjective
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Any platform, from Zoom to Microsoft, can be compatible with scammers utilizing deepfakes, fake profiles or convincing backgrounds such as an FBI seal.
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Instead of abstract phishing examples, show employees how much of their own digital footprint is publicly available and how easily fraudsters can turn it into a convincing fake profile, email or message.
Verb
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Iran’s semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) wrote about the 1989 funeral earlier this week, describing how the enormous crowds exceeded the numbers expected by authorities.
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Furthermore, Bavarian state lawmaker Bernhard Pohl also welcomed the move, describing it as a long-term guarantee for the future of the Kaufbeuren location and its role within Germany’s expanding missile defense network.
Verb
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Johnson released a statement through his press office saying the ILA workers who met with the mayor are members of the team that bargained their new contract, ratified this spring.
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In her new memoir Famesick, Dunham wrote a message to Swift, saying much of the book's creative process was soundtracked by her music.
Verb
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Discussions on workforce capacity often arbitrarily stop counting at age 64, despite concerns over talent shortages and aging populations.
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But one video posted to social media that appears to show a young man wielding a machete and counting down to the deadline has put migrants like Nyirenda on edge.
Verb
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick sent a letter Tuesday informing Anthropic co-founder Tom Brown of the decision, citing Anthropic’s close coordination and cooperation with government officials to address risks associated with its models.
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On May 14, a day after students created a San José State University for Gaza encampment, university officials sent a letter to Kil informing her she had been placed on administrative leave.
Verb
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Scam warning signs A caller instructing a person not to tell their friends or family about a problem is a big warning sign that the caller has malicious intent, scam experts say.
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These makers are much more reticent about the risks of blurring the once fine line between browsing sites and asking a large language model a question or instructing it to take potentially sensitive actions.
Verb
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The Executive Residence is exempt from rules that require federal agencies to solicit competitive bids and from disclosing details from the public, according to the Post.
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Charles reveals tax bill By law, the British king is not obliged to pay income, capital gains or inheritance tax, but Charles, like his mother did after 1993, has voluntarily done so without disclosing the amounts.
Adjective
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True, nothing so grand as a massive dragon and naval battle took place, but seeing Rhaenyra start to change into someone almost unrecognizable from her younger, more innocent self was compelling in a deeper way.
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Cite this Entry
“Telling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/telling. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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