Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of tell

15 similar words · 1 opposite word

Another word for tell is count. Other synonyms of tell are apprise, relate, number and recount. The opposite of tell is ask.

Synonyms and similar words for tell

verbTo determine the number, amount, or value of [something].

verbTo narrate, to recount.

  • narrateTo relate (a story or series of events) in speech or writing.
  • recountTo tell; narrate; to relate in detail.
  • relateTo tell in a descriptive way.

verbTo instruct or inform.

  • adviseTo formally give information or notice to; to inform or counsel.

verbTo inform someone in authority about a wrongdoing.

  • tell onTo inform on, to rat out; to tell a person in authority that someone else has done something wrong.
  • grass upTo betray by informing on.

verbTo reveal.

verbMore synonyms

  • number
  • appriseTo make (someone or oneself) aware of some information; to inform, to notify.
  • make known
  • snitch
  • tattleOften said of children: to report incriminating information about another person, or a person's wrongdoing in an...

Opposite of tell

verbAntonym(s) of “to instruct or inform”.

Meaning of tell

  1. verb To determine the number, amount, or value of [something].
  2. verb To notice, discern. (Roughly, "can tell" means "know" but with a sense of direct perception.).
  3. verb To pick up on a difference. (See tell apart for more.).

Full definition of tell

tell in other languages

Questions about synonyms of tell

What is another word for tell?
Tell has 15 synonyms on Word.ws, such as count, apprise, relate, number and recount.
What is the opposite of tell?
The opposite of tell is ask.
What does tell mean?
Tell means to determine the number, amount, or value of [something].

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: tell (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of tell.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/tell. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.