tell on
phrasal verb
told on; telling on; tells on
1
informal
: to tell someone in authority about the bad behavior or actions of (someone else)
Please don't tell on me.
2
: to have a noticeable effect on (someone or something)
The stress began to tell on her face/health.
Examples of tell on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The group was told on Oct. 20, 2023, that the arrangement would require council approval.
—
Dana Afana, Detroit Free Press, 21 Feb. 2025
The beloved tale has been told on Broadway in nearly 40 previous productions, including its most recent revival in 2013 that starred Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad.
—Dave Quinn, People.com, 17 Feb. 2025
Chelsea have stayed in the top four for the majority of the campaign and he was told on taking the post that he was not expected to qualify for the Champions League until next season.
—Simon Johnson, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025
Similarly to the mass layoffs at USAID, staff at CFPB were told on Sunday that the headquarters would be closed this week.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell on
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Dana Afana, Detroit Free Press, 21 Feb. 2025
The beloved tale has been told on Broadway in nearly 40 previous productions, including its most recent revival in 2013 that starred Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad.
—Dave Quinn, People.com, 17 Feb. 2025
Chelsea have stayed in the top four for the majority of the campaign and he was told on taking the post that he was not expected to qualify for the Champions League until next season.
—Simon Johnson, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025
Similarly to the mass layoffs at USAID, staff at CFPB were told on Sunday that the headquarters would be closed this week.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell on
Cite this Entry
“Tell on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tell%20on. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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