telling

adjective

tell·ing | \ ˈte-liŋ

Definition of telling

: carrying great weight and producing a marked effect : effective, expressive the most telling evidence

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Choose the Right Synonym for telling

valid, sound, cogent, convincing, telling mean having such force as to compel serious attention and usually acceptance. valid implies being supported by objective truth or generally accepted authority. a valid reason for being absent a valid marriage sound implies a basis of flawless reasoning or of solid grounds. a sound proposal for reviving the economy cogent may stress either weight of sound argument and evidence or lucidity of presentation. the prosecutor's cogent summation won over the jury convincing suggests a power to overcome doubt, opposition, or reluctance to accept. a convincing argument for welfare reform telling stresses an immediate and crucial effect striking at the heart of a matter. a telling example of bureaucratic waste

Examples of telling in a Sentence

Her experience is a telling example of why the nation's educational system needs to be changed. The most telling moment in the case was when the victim took the stand.

Recent Examples on the Web

The most telling moment in the nearly half hour Tom Allen spent in front of the media Monday came during his lengthy explanation of the pivotal decision of this season. — Zach Osterman, Indianapolis Star, "Michael Penix won IU QB job with a combination of confidence, talent that’s made him impossible to ignore," 29 Aug. 2019 Getty Images By the time the most telling moment of Wednesday night’s Democratic Debate arrived, most people at the Kamala Harris watch party in downtown Iowa City had headed for the door. — Chloe Angyal, Marie Claire, "Wednesday Night’s Debate Was the End of the Default Male Candidate," 1 Aug. 2019 But perhaps the most telling response came, ironically enough, in the form of an anonymous post on the very same Letsrun board that, fairly or not, had done so much to damage Meza’s reputation. — Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, "Frank Meza’s Death and the Running Internet Mob," 9 July 2019 The joint practices against the Lions and Titans will be more telling. — Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, "Some early observations from Patriots camp," 30 July 2019 As Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst met with reporters after practice on Friday, a telling scene unfolded a few feet away on the grass field north of Camp Randall Stadium. — Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "UW defensive end Matt Henningsen has transitioned from unknown walk-on to veteran teacher," 2 Aug. 2019 Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro perhaps had the most telling exchange of the night with Biden, though. — Jaclyn Gallucci, Fortune, "4 Things We Learned From Last Night’s Democratic Debate," 1 Aug. 2019 Dermatomyositis symptoms include chronic muscle inflammation and muscle weakness, But the most telling symptom is a specific type of skin rash paired with muscle weakness, according to GARD. — Maggie O'neill, Health.com, "The Large, Painful Sores on This Man's Hands Were Caused By An Extremely Rare Inflammatory Disease," 31 July 2019 The most telling stat may be that Votto's OBP+ (on-base plus slugging plus) is 92. — John Fay, Cincinnati.com, "RedsXtra: 'There's no reason for me to play like this,' Joey Votto says," 20 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'telling.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for telling

telling

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of telling

: producing a strong or important effect

: giving information about someone or something without intending to

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telling

Definition of telling

Other Words from telling

Synonyms & Antonyms for telling

Choose the Right Synonym for telling

Examples of telling in a Sentence

First Known Use of telling

English Language Learners Definition of telling

telling

Definition of telling

Other Words from telling

Synonyms & Antonyms for telling

Choose the Right Synonym for telling

Examples of telling in a Sentence

First Known Use of telling

English Language Learners Definition of telling

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