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 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.
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Becca Longmire, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
The history of Stricker’s Grove, as told on the park’s website, began in 1924.
—Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 9 Aug. 2024
How stories were told and how they were written or told on these platforms.
—Dj Siddiqi, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
As its origin story is told on its website, Airbnb.org’s beginnings trace back to 2012, following Hurricane Sandy’s thorough pummeling of New York City.
—Steven Aquino, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tell on 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Becca Longmire, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
The history of Stricker’s Grove, as told on the park’s website, began in 1924.
—Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 9 Aug. 2024
How stories were told and how they were written or told on these platforms.
—Dj Siddiqi, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
As its origin story is told on its website, Airbnb.org’s beginnings trace back to 2012, following Hurricane Sandy’s thorough pummeling of New York City.
—Steven Aquino, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tell on
Dictionary Entries Near tell on
Cite this Entry
“Tell on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tell%20on. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
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