telling (on)

verb

Definition of telling (on)next
present participle of tell (on)
1
as in affecting
to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response the pressure of final exams is beginning to tell on the students in the dorm

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in talking
to give information (as to the authorities) about another's improper or unlawful activities detectives convinced the perpetrators in custody to tell on their associates

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for telling (on)
  1. affecting
  2. talking
  3. influencing
  4. informing
  5. impressing
  6. impacting
  7. touching
  8. striking
Verb
  • But the forces prodding Shin to boost rates are increasingly affecting Fed policy decisions.
    — William Pesek, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Kelchen said Syracuse is being hit by many of the forces affecting the broader industry.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of affecting
Verb
  • When families of the Lincoln’s sailors started talking with reporters, their complaints were met with contempt from the top.
    — Andrea N. Goldstein, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Taken with each other, Celine agrees to continue talking with Jesse in Vienna before his morning flight.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of talking
Verb
  • More of their money is flowing toward influencing local elections, according to the data.
    — Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The tropical disturbance influencing Sunday's forecast is expected to move west, dropping the probability of weather violating launch criteria to about 30% — offering a 70% chance of acceptable conditions.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of influencing
Verb
  • The brand’s alignment with quiet luxury is also informing how Gieves & Hawkes expands into new categories.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Any business, town or development group needs this data informing their decisions.
    — Twila Moon, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of informing
Verb
  • Running backs impressing The 49ers appear to have their best, and deepest, running back group since Christian McCaffrey’s arrival.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Bosnia and Herzegovina international joined on his 24th birthday, before making his Premier League debut just five days later, impressing at right-back during Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Tyneside.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of impressing
Verb
  • Steam tunnel work, a Greenbelt improvement project and a parking lot repaving are impacting the routes students and staff can use to get to class — whether by car, bike, scooter or foot.
    — Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Check your credit report for errors Review your credit reports with all three credit bureaus for any errors that could be negatively impacting you.
    — Dan Avery, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of impacting
Verb
  • The skillet will be quite full, with the edges of the wrappers touching or slightly overlapping.
    — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Clean and sanitize surfaces these animals touch, and wash your hands thoroughly before handling food, touching common surfaces or touching your mouth or face.
    — Kimberly Baker, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of touching
Verb
  • Prince was able to free the ATV and accelerated toward the deputy, striking him and knocking him to the ground.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The witness said Cavazos was about 10 feet away and was not holding a weapon when Gutierrez fired three or four times, striking him in the back.
    — Madison Lambert, NBC news, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of striking
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.

Browse Nearby Words

telling off
telling (on)
tell (of)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Telling (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/telling%20%28on%29. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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