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
Alfred will be a story for the ages as her journey is told on Netflix.
—
Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Photograph: NurPhoto; Getty Images Many lies get told on TikTok; also, many truths.
—Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 25 Oct. 2024
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.
—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
See all Example Sentences for tell on 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Photograph: NurPhoto; Getty Images Many lies get told on TikTok; also, many truths.
—Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 25 Oct. 2024
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.
—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
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 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share