telltale

noun

tell·​tale ˈtel-ˌtāl 

1

a

: an outward sign : indication

b

: talebearer, informer

2

: a device for indicating or recording something: such as

a

: a wind-direction indicator often in the form of a ribbon

b

: a strip of metal on the front wall of a racquets or squash court above which the ball must be hit

telltale adjective

Synonyms

• circulator
• gossip
• gossiper
• gossipmonger
• newsmonger
• quidnunc
• tale-teller
• talebearer
• yenta

Examples of telltale in a Sentence

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

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Check for telltale thinning at the crown and temples; broken, frizzy bits at ear and chin level; as well as shorter strands at the nape of the neck that look shredded or wispy. —Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 30 Jan. 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 only telltale is the small 350e badge on the back. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 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

Photo: Courtesy of Neon Spectators at the crash scene in 1957 reported hearing the telltale hiss of a tire blowing out. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 22 Jan. 2024

The initial telltale symptom of the plague is an extremely swollen lymph node, according to Adalja. —Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2024

And in the following days, astronomers saw the telltale reddening of a kilonova in the same spot as the gamma-ray burst. —Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for telltale

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email

Kids Definition

telltale

1 of 2 noun

tell·​tale

ˈtel-ˌtāl

1

: talebearer, informer

2

: an outward sign : indication

telltale

2 of 2 adjective

: indicating or giving evidence of something

telltale fingerprints