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
-
Its social media presence alone, is indicative of its influence.—
Dahvi Shira,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Even then, the particular demands of that track may not be indicative of the entire season, meaning that, too, has to be taken with some caution.—
Luke Smith,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The witness was in fact facing 30 years in another murder case and went on record as an informant for police to take years off.—
J.M. Banks,
Kansas City Star,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Both the for-profit and nonprofit businesses were founded by Edward Clancy, a businessman and former political consultant who once worked as an FBI informant.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Packed with reflective pearls and blurring pigments, the tint aims to minimize color imperfections while hydrating and evening your skin tone.—
Averi Baudler,
People.com,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Practice reflective silence—After receiving feedback, take a moment to process before responding.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
But his real father is rumored to be the evil and presumably dead Voldemort — a piece of malicious gossip that only damages the kid’s reputation more.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2025
-
It’s hosted by two sisters, Chanler Bledsoe and Lauren Atkinson, unpacking the celebrity gossip of the week.—
Noor Lobad,
WWD,
21 Feb. 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
-
This situation makes the NIH a golden goose for universities, and also a canary in a coal mine.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2025
-
In short, the Amazon is the planet’s canary in the coal mine—its health is directly tied to its survival.—
Michael Sheldrick,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
There’s something a bit slimy and a bit dirty about a kind of rat’s tail.—
Brian Davids,
The Hollywood Reporter,
21 Feb. 2025
-
Four black rats were confirmed to have H5N1 avian flu in late January in Riverside County, California, where two recent poultry outbreaks were reported, the agency said.—
Sara Moniuszko,
CBS News,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Telltale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/telltale. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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