tell

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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?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tell Gaza war talks on cusp of cease-fire, hostage deal A round of Gaza cease-fire talks will be held in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday morning to finalise remaining details related to the deal, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters on Monday. Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025 Plus, Blue Origin is selling launches at a price per satellite that’s significantly better than SpaceX, a former employee told Forbes. Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025 Trump attempted one last time to get a judge to block the report but was unsuccessful, NPR's Carrie Johnson tells Up First. Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 Jan. 2025 During his trial, Condon identified Hauptmann as the man who’d told him about Martha’s Vineyard. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for tell 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tell
Verb
  • But a new debut novel by a celebrated Palestinian American playwright responds in a startling way to the burden that Hammad described—by shrugging it off.
    Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2025
  • But the company is also standing behind its decision to roll out the app this week, basically describing it as a rough patch that will, in theory, lead to a much better experience for everyone down the line.
    Chris Welch, The Verge, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Trump has said there is a national emergency at the southern border, which was a central part of his campaign message, and is implementing several executive orders related to immigration and border security on his first day in office.
    Brad Dress, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025
  • The latter had symbolism, Trump said, as President William McKinley embraced tariffs.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Southern California has long endured devastating fires, with the Palisades and Eaton fires counting as two of the most destructive blazes in its history.
    Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Jan. 2025
  • President-elect Donald Trump has frequently counted the U.S.-led coalition victory over the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria as one of the most consequential achievements of his previous administration.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 19 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Morningstar informs us that the SPDR Bloomberg High Yield fund has averaged a total return (coupons plus price changes) of 5.1% a year, three points better than the return on the Vanguard all-purpose fund that owns only higher quality debt.
    William Baldwin, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
  • For democracies like India and the United States, these tools can be transformative in informing citizens and safeguarding public discourse.
    Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • One of Huffman's orders instructed officials to start the process of phasing out Biden administration policies that allowed certain migrants to enter the U.S. through an immigration authority known as parole.
    Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2025
  • The president also instructed federal officials to investigate local authorities that interfere with the new anti-immigration measures, according to a Justice Department memo sent Tuesday and obtained by NBC News.
    Sara Dorn, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • After his son burst into the room, Gordon turned to the boy and revealed the excuse for his violent outburst, Brandon said.
    Ellen Moynihan, New York Daily News, 25 Jan. 2025
  • The first round of Grammy performers has been revealed, including pop breakouts Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx and Chappell Roan, who are all nominated at the awards ceremony.
    Ellise Shafer, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Murphy and Robertson’s masterstroke is to banish all such expectation and instead have the story narrated by a villain.
    David Benedict, Variety, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Below, find an exclusive eight-minute excerpt of Bomer narrating A Little Life.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Foligno understands players can talk to the NHLPA and league about stiffer penalties.
    Michael Russo, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
  • Like, a walking, talking, human-size chimp, portrayed and voiced by a combination of a motion-capture actor (Jonnie Davies), a musician (Adam Tucker), and Williams himself.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near tell

Cite this Entry

“Tell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.

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