tell
verb (used with object)
to give an account or narrative of; narrate; relate (a story, tale, etc.).
have been telling
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present perfect progressiveof tell.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
Working-class voters have been telling pollsters for 60 years that the political system doesn’t hear them.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
“This ruling affirms what our neighbors have been telling us for more than a year, and it delivers relief while the case moves forward.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
This year, visitors "have been telling me that they have escaped the heat in southern parts of Europe," said Terje Viblom Pedersen, a guide who offers tours in southeastern Sweden.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
SpaceX representatives have been telling investors they already have enough interest in the IPO from a mix of institutional investors and sovereign-wealth funds to raise the $40 billion to $80 billion they envision.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026
Arguably some respondents may have been telling pollsters what they thought was appropriate rather than what they actually believed, but there is no reason to believe that most of them were lying.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
