adjective
-
having a marked effect or impact
a telling blow
-
revealing
a telling smile
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of telling
Explanation
Something that's telling is either significant,or it reveals information. Getting twice as much allowance will have a telling effect on your ability to buy new books. When it comes to economics, a telling indicator of a country's state is how much money its citizens spend each month. And you can see that a movie has had a telling effect on its audience if it leaves them all weeping. If you reveal something without meaning to, that's telling as well: "The look on his face was telling." This adjective dates from the mid-1800s, from the verb tell and its sense of "to reveal or disclose."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Telling residents in Moerdijk that their homes, streets and cemeteries may not survive the decade was, says Moerkerke, "the hardest decision of my career" and one he will never forget.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
Telling people to cut back on the lattes and other luxuries shouldn’t even be controversial.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026
Telling the dancers about Bodytraffic’s end was difficult and sad for Berkett, but she says she was met with gratitude and empathy for her desire to evolve.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026
Telling his own story decades later, Harry would recount how royal custom dictated he ask his grandmother for permission to marry Meghan.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
"Telling Shagga and Timett how to pillage is like telling a rooster how to crow," Tyrion commented, "but I should prefer to keep them with me."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
