telling
- adjective
- /ˈtɛlɪŋ/
- Her expression was telling, hinting at the disappointment she felt.
Like, I do think it's going to be telling of how he views women.
- Like, I do think it's going to be telling of how he views women.
- Again, it was a small affair, but really telling was her mother did not attend.
Examples
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This line in the letter is the most telling line in this entire letter.
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Like, I do think it's going to be telling of how he views women.
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The results of the study were telling, revealing a clear pattern in the data.
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The teacher's comments were telling of the student's understanding of the material.
Synonyms
Showing information or parts that were hidden before
Showing something hidden, often without meaning to
Serious and important, needing careful thought
Clear and easy to follow, so people find it convincing
Tends to reveal information
Idioms
- Informal
To say this to show you strongly agree with an obvious or unpleasant point
Compounds
A way of finding out what will happen to someone in the future using mysterious methods
How Revealing
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word telling comes from the old verb tell, which meant 'to say' or 'to show'. So a telling look or fact 'says' a lot and reveals the truth.