1
as in to describe
to give an oral or written account of in some detail
they told the story of how they had met
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to say
to express (a thought or emotion) in words
just tell us what is in your heart
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in to inform
to give information to
tell me, when did you begin playing the violin?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to instruct
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority
told us to sit still and wait
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to reveal
to make known (as information previously kept secret)
I won't tell your secret to anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tell
Nobody told them to take the president off the stage.
—
CBS News, 13 July 2025
Choosing which works to show and which stories to tell.
—Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
An attorney told the Herald/Times her client was detained by federal immigration agents after a routine-check in at an ICE field office.
—Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 13 July 2025
The 21-year-old running back was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery (domestic) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday, July 12, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department told PEOPLE.
—Escher Walcott, People.com, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell
CBS News, 13 July 2025
Choosing which works to show and which stories to tell.
—Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
An attorney told the Herald/Times her client was detained by federal immigration agents after a routine-check in at an ICE field office.
—Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 13 July 2025
The 21-year-old running back was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery (domestic) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday, July 12, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department told PEOPLE.
—Escher Walcott, People.com, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tell
Verb
-
Robert Shireman, a former Obama-era Education Department official, described the process as the higher-ed equivalent of filing taxes.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
12 July 2025
-
Among the students, what might broadly be described as concern over political correctness simply did not exist.—
Brooke Allen,
New Yorker,
12 July 2025
Verb
-
Kerrville city manager Dalton Rice said that in his city, at least 40 power lines are still down after the storms.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
-
The crash was reported shortly after 6:30 a.m. on June 28 at the intersection of West Taylor and Spring streets, San Jose police Officer Tanya Hernandez said in a news release.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
8 July 2025
Verb
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Best known for their gaming broadcasts and challenges, the cohort are among Twitch’s most prominent content groups and collectively counts tens of millions of followers across members’ respective channels.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
5 July 2025
-
Senate Republicans argue that because the bill extends current tax law, those cuts shouldn't be counted.—
Jim Sergent,
USA Today,
5 July 2025
Verb
-
Some of his friends are aware, and Mayer spoke with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to inform him of the campaign only the day prior, out of courtesy.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
-
The camp previously sent an email to families informing them of the situation, which was later shared by KEYE.—
David Chiu,
People.com,
4 July 2025
Verb
-
Protesters were instructed to disperse before agents deployed what appeared to be tear-gas canisters and flash-bangs into the crowd, eventually breaking up the mob.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
11 July 2025
-
Shoppers are instructed to return the product to any Walmart store for a full refund.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
See the finds in Greece Off the coast of Greece, the Antikythera shipwreck continues to reveal its secrets, with recent excavations uncovering ancient sculptures and pottery.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
-
Testing reveals systematic therapy failures Against this complicated backdrop, systematic evaluation of the effects of AI therapy becomes particularly important.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 July 2025
Verb
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The documentary, aired in February, is expected to be the subject of an excoriating internal review coming next week after it was narrated by the child of a Hamas minister.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
4 July 2025
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Directed by Mike Tollin and narrated by Marlon Wayans, who portrayed George Raveling in 2023’s Air, the film chronicles the notable journey of the Hall of Fame basketball coach known for guiding the careers of several all-star players, including Michael Jordan.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
Not talking an exceptionally high level; not the top-shelf stuff.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
14 July 2025
-
Tempest, grateful for his schoolboy French, paused to talk to her.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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