as in indicative
indicating something
I know you've been eating chocolate because of the telltale smudges on your face
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in gossiper
a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others
the media's professional telltales have basically decided that today's celebrities have no right to privacy
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in informant
a person who provides information about another's wrongdoing
the department telltale told the boss that his coworkers were taking extra long breaks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of telltale
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
Noun
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for telltale
Adjective
-
Economic challenges notwithstanding, this is indicative of the desire of Americans to safely and responsibly keep and bear arms.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Apr. 2025
-
While Teresa’s troubled past with the law doesn’t necessarily impact her current debt, and a tax lien is not indicative of a criminal fraud case, time will tell if that is something authorities suspect.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The judge's bond denial, which was upheld by an immigration appeals board, mentioned information from an informant who the government deemed to be credible.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2025
-
That claim was based on an informant’s statements in 2019.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Covering 80% of roof area on commercial buildings in the U.S. with solar reflective material would be the equivalent to turning off 34 coal power plants for one year.—
Rob Lewallen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Apr. 2025
-
The dining room on the floor below has deep red carpets, gold chairs, burl wood walls in a herringbone pattern and reflective metallic paint on the ceiling that intensifies the rotating 360 degree views.—
Laurie Werner,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
My name was in the news, the gossip sites, even on the billboards around town.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The gossip began summer of 2024, when the two were spotted out having lunch together.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The Ukrainian soldiers began to see Russian civilians as a hindrance — or worse, as potential informers who could give away their positions.—
Ekaterina Bodyagina Nanna Heitmann,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2025
-
The arrests were part of wide-ranging Establishment attacks on the new generation of pop stars in Britain at the time, done through connivance with informers and a hostile conservative media.—
Bill Wyman,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Image Image The canary in the coal mine CoreWeave just pulled off the first big initial public offering this year — and the results were far from heartening.—
Andrew Ross Sorkin,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Miami-Dade is the canary in the Florida coal mine for Democrats, where Republican strength signals much wider problems.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Boxes of mice and rats which investigators believe to be food for the snakes were also found in the residence.—
Natalie Demaree,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Don’t Miss: The nearby Volcanic Tablelands, named for a cataclysmic volcanic eruption 750,000 years ago, draws rock climbers for its fantastic bouldering and desert rats for the austere landscape and petroglyph sites.—
Jenna Blough,
Outside Online,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Telltale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/telltale. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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