TELL Synonyms: 241 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'tell' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of tell are betray , disclose , divulge , and reveal . While all these words mean "to make known what has been or should be concealed," tell implies an imparting of necessary or useful information. // told them what he had overheard

Q: Where would 'betray' be a reasonable alternative to 'tell'?

While in some cases nearly identical to tell , betray implies a divulging that represents a breach of faith or an involuntary or unconscious disclosure. // a blush that betrayed her embarrassment

Q: When would 'disclose' be a good substitute for 'tell'?

The words disclose and tell can be used in similar contexts, but disclose may imply a discovering but more often an imparting of information previously kept secret. // candidates must disclose their financial assets

Q: When might 'divulge' be a better fit than 'tell'?

Although the words divulge and tell have much in common, divulge implies a disclosure involving some impropriety or breach of confidence. // refused to divulge an anonymous source

Q: In what contexts can 'reveal' take the place of 'tell'?

The meanings of reveal and tell largely overlap; however, reveal may apply to supernatural or inspired revelation of truths beyond the range of ordinary human vision or reason. // divine will as revealed in sacred writings

tell

verb

ˈtel

Definition of tell next

as in to describe

to give an oral or written account of in some detail they told the story of how they had met

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as in to say

to express (a thought or emotion) in words just tell us what is in your heart

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as in to count

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?

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as in to inform

to give information to tell me, when did you begin playing the violin?

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as in to instruct

to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority told us to sit still and wait

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as in to reveal

to make known (as information previously kept secret) I won't tell your secret to anyone

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb tell differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of tell are betray, disclose, divulge, and reveal. While all these words mean "to make known what has been or should be concealed," tell implies an imparting of necessary or useful information.

told them what he had overheard

Where would betray be a reasonable alternative to tell?

While in some cases nearly identical to tell, betray implies a divulging that represents a breach of faith or an involuntary or unconscious disclosure.

a blush that betrayed her embarrassment

When would disclose be a good substitute for tell?

The words disclose and tell can be used in similar contexts, but disclose may imply a discovering but more often an imparting of information previously kept secret.

candidates must disclose their financial assets

When might divulge be a better fit than tell?

Although the words divulge and tell have much in common, divulge implies a disclosure involving some impropriety or breach of confidence.

refused to divulge an anonymous source

In what contexts can reveal take the place of tell?

The meanings of reveal and tell largely overlap; however, reveal may apply to supernatural or inspired revelation of truths beyond the range of ordinary human vision or reason.

divine will as revealed in sacred writings

Examples of tell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In February 2022, two years after exchanging wedding vows, Beyer reached out to Rhimes and Grey’s Anatomy showrunner, Krista Vernoff, to tell them about Finch’s lies. —

Katie Mannion, People.com, 16 Oct. 2024 By telling real stories of hip-hop artists and others in the game, The CHECK IN educates and informs in an entertaining way. —

Kenya Gipson, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2024 The film will tell the inspiring, heartfelt and true story of Tuggle, drafted by the New York Giants, and his enduring impact on his team and teammates. —

Justin Kroll, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2024 Private debt gained $400 billion in that period, while public debt declined the same amount: a telling shift. —

Don Muir, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tell

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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“Tell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.

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Last Updated: 19 Oct 2024 - Updated example sentences

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Synonyms of tell

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