tells

verb

present tense third-person singular of tell
1
as in describes
to give an oral or written account of in some detail they told the story of how they had met

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in says
to express (a thought or emotion) in words just tell us what is in your heart

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in counts
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
4
as in informs
to give information to tell me, when did you begin playing the violin?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in instructs
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 reveals
to make known (as information previously kept secret) I won't tell your secret to anyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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 tells Despite Bret’s passionate insistence that his classmate is a serial killer, Croft tells him Robert is a good kid from a good family and sends him back to class. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026 The limited series tells the story of two sisters who go on the run after an act of vengeance goes wrong. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026 David Powell, Ethara’s chief portfolio and strategy officer, tells Fortune the race is Abu Dhabi’s version of the Super Bowl, a single weekend that ripples through the economy by driving tourism, hospitality spend and temporary employment. — Inzamam Rashid, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 The first number tells you how many years your initial interest rate is fixed. — Rebecca Safier, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 Rentrak tells us that the domestic box office is $280M away from matching the 2013 high. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026 One president of a Europa League club tells The Athletic that the nature of ownership in England is partly responsible for the high turnover. — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 At the same time, the film tells a true story that powerfully illustrates how indispensable investigative journalism is in uncovering historical crimes. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026 Feely’s costar Elodie Blomfield, who plays Roy Kent’s niece Phoebe, also tells PEOPLE that returning to the series felt like coming home. — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tells
  1. describes
  2. says
  3. counts
  4. informs
  5. instructs
  6. reveals
  7. recounts
  8. speaks
Verb
  • Human Intelligence As Spec The Knowing markets itself as 100% human intelligence, which Thomas describes as a business proposition rather than a moral one.
    — Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Modern interpreters have read his 10 heads as signifying his vast knowledge of 10 sacred texts, or alternately his 10 ethical failings, but the Ramayana account describes him as 10-headed from birth.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of describes
Verb
  • The cult member says some predictably culty things about how Thom doesn’t need his father or his friends for guidance.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Ukraine says goods sold by the company include equipment and technical components that are used by the Russian military.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of says
Verb
  • This move revives a civil rights debate over discipline in K-12 schools and what counts as discrimination.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
  • As part of the revamp, Hatchet, which counts Electronic Arts and NASCAR among its clients, will creator analytics including discovery, campaign tracking and ROI measurement.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of counts
Verb
  • Creator instinct informs what gets made, how it is presented and how quickly the team responds.
    — Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • When the Pogues return to Kildare from Azerbaijan, Rose informs them that Groff stole the Royal Merchant gold from her after trying to kill her.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of informs
Verb
  • The Gap Between Agreement And Action​ Most change guidance instructs leaders how to gain commitment.
    — John Radman, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Using this simple sequence, Grok then follows the command as soon as the user instructs the assistant to summarize the page.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of instructs
Verb
  • Even the 6th District race, where six candidates are vying for the open seat left by Moulton, reveals some of this tension.
    — Margie Cullen, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • If one betrays secrets for money, their sale reveals that people within elite institutions are out for themselves, looking to profit from insider positions.
    — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of reveals
Verb
  • The series recounts the untold story of how the New York Mafia made millions in the aftermath of the 9/11.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Following his 2019 essay for the New Yorker, Murakami recounts a compelling history of fatherhood, family and obligation, transforming an uncanny childhood memory into a deeply personal history.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of recounts
Verb
  • Hers is a poetry that speaks from centuries of poetry, for its need for renewal, for its exits and entries into community, for its capacity to witness and invent, for the beauty of connection.
    — Wallis Wilde-Menozzi, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The efforts speaks to the increasingly stringent — and desperate — measures public agencies and lawmakers in California are attempting in order to stem a troubling rise in e-bike incidents.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of speaks

Browse Nearby Words

tell (on)
tells
tells (of)
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Cite this Entry

“Tells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tells. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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