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tell on meaning and examples

2025-10-03

Meaning

The phrasal verb “tell on” has two main meanings:

  1. To inform on someone → to report someone’s bad or secret behavior to an authority or another person (often used among children: "If you do that, I’ll tell on you!").
  2. To have an effect on someone or something → usually in a negative way, showing signs of damage, stress, age, or pressure ("The stress was beginning to tell on him.").

Grammar and Usage

  • Part of speech: Phrasal verb (verb + preposition).

  • Verb type: Intransitive (cannot take a direct object, but is followed by "on + person/thing").

  • Patterns:

    • tell on + person (report someone’s misbehavior).
    • tell on + someone/something (cause harm or visible effect).

Common Phrases

  • Don’t tell on me!
  • It’s starting to tell on his health.
  • She told on her brother for breaking the vase.

Collocations

  • tell on someone (report a secret/misbehavior)
  • tell on health (showing harmful effects)
  • tell on performance (stress/fatigue affecting results)
  • tell on appearance (age or stress being visible)

Examples

  1. The little boy was afraid his sister would tell on him for eating the cookies.
  2. Don’t worry, I won’t tell on you.
  3. Working long hours has begun to tell on her health.
  4. The pressure of the match started to tell on the players.
  5. His age is beginning to tell on his appearance.
  6. She threatened to tell on her classmates if they didn’t stop teasing her.
  7. Lack of sleep will eventually tell on your concentration.
  • (for reporting): inform on, snitch on, rat on, betray
  • (for effect): affect, weaken, damage, impact, wear down

Antonym

  • (for reporting): cover for, protect, keep quiet
  • (for effect): strengthen, support, benefit