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
A week after Trump signed the bill, Corporation for Public Broadcasting employees were told on Aug. 1 that most staff positions would be slashed as the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30.
—
Aaron Valdez, The Enquirer, 4 Aug. 2025
The stories told on Monday weren’t just for the ears of the federal government.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
This will be the third time the story has been told on screen.
—Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Some blowing the whistle to Congress are telling on the FBI and Department of Justice.
—Sharyl Attkisson, Baltimore Sun, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell on
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Aaron Valdez, The Enquirer, 4 Aug. 2025
The stories told on Monday weren’t just for the ears of the federal government.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
This will be the third time the story has been told on screen.
—Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Some blowing the whistle to Congress are telling on the FBI and Department of Justice.
—Sharyl Attkisson, Baltimore Sun, 25 July 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 1 Sep. 2025.
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