Synonyms for tell

verb

  1. To inform

    communicate, explain, say, state, instruct, direct, command, order, disclose, divulge, reveal, make known, utter, speak, report, recite, announce, let know, notify, give notice, declare, acquaint, advise, confess, impart, apprise, familiarize, represent, assert, mention, relate, convey, voice, let out, acknowledge, own, let in on, give the facts, reel off, spit out, come out with, give out, release, leak out, give inside information, break it to, break the news, express, put, show, indicate, carry tales, reveal a secret, betray, tattle, leave word, assure, keep posted, expose, lay open, open up, blurt out, fill in*, let on*, let slip*, clue in*, tell all*, level with*, give away*, come across with*, shoot*, come clean*, make a clean breast of*, get something off one's chest*; see also discuss, inform 2, notify 1, reveal 1, say.

    Antonyms hide*, keep secret, be silent.

  2. To narrate

    describe, recount, set forth; see narrate, report 1.

  3. To deduce

    know, understand, make out, perceive, ascertain, find out, recognize, be sure, differentiate, discriminate, determine, know for certain, clinch*. See syn. study at reveal.reveal.

See tell in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II


verb
  1. To give a verbal account of:

    describe, narrate, recite, recount, rehearse, relate, report. See words
  2. To put into words:

    articulate, communicate, convey, declare, express, say, state, talk, utter1, vent, verbalize, vocalize, voice. Idiom: give tongue (or vent) (or voice) to. See words
  3. To make known:

    break, carry, communicate, convey, disclose, get across, impart, pass, report, transmit. See knowledge
  4. To disclose in a breach of confidence:

    betray, blab, divulge, expose, give away, let out, reveal, uncover, unveil. (Informal) spill. (Archaic) discover. Idioms: let slip, let the cat out of the bag, spill the beans, tell all. See show
  5. To impart information to:

    acquaint, advise, apprise, educate, enlighten, inform, notify. See knowledge, teach
  6. To give orders to:

    bid, charge, command, direct, enjoin, instruct, order. See over, words
  7. To recognize as being different:

    differentiate, discern, discriminate, distinguish, know, separate. See same
  8. To note (items) one by one so as to get a total:

    count, enumerate, number, numerate, reckon, tally. See count
phrasal verb
tell off
(Informal)

To reprimand loudly or harshly:

bawl out, berate, rate2. Idioms: give hell to, give it to. See attack

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