Skip to main content
to untell

to untell

1 9.9
To choose not to tell a fact or story
  • verb
  • /ʌnˈtɛl/
translation icon : no contar
  • After thinking it over, she decided to untell the story she had planned to share.

Examples

  • Sometimes it is better to untell certain facts to avoid hurting others.

  • He chose to untell the details of the incident, keeping them private.

  • I wish I could untell my secret.

  • She decided to untell the embarrassing story.

  • She decided to untell her embarrassing secret to protect her friend's reputation.

  • After thinking it over, he chose to untell the details of the incident from the meeting.

  • To maintain privacy, they agreed to untell the sensitive information they had just shared.

Synonyms

to conceal
vsto untell
282 3.7

To hide something so others cannot see or find it

focuses on choosing not to tell people rather than physical hiding
to keep one's mouth shut
vsto untell
  • Informal
116 5.6

To say nothing to avoid trouble or keep a secret

is the general decision to withhold information rather than just silence
to keep quiet
vsto untell
90 2.5

To say nothing or not tell a secret

emphasizes the deliberate act of not telling information generally
to keep a secret
vsto untell
76 2.6

To not tell anyone private information

is broader, covers choosing not to tell any fact or story
to shut one's mouth
vsto untell
  • Informal
4 4.4

To stop talking to keep a secret or when told to be quiet

suggests voluntary withholding rather than silence caused by command
to keep mum
vsto untell
  • Informal
3 7.5

Stay quiet about something private

is about withholding by choice even when not visibly silent

Antonyms

1.0

Give someone information

2.3

Show something that was hidden or secret

How Revealing

to omit
66 3.4
to untell
1 9.9
to withhold
210 5.1
to hide
1.0
to conceal
282 3.7

Surface Forms

untell infinitive
untelling present participle
untells third person singular
untold past
untold past participle

Morphology

untell = tell (transparent) = un + tell

Clear negative/restrictive prefix 'un-' attached to the verb 'tell', yielding 'not tell' or withhold meaning that a learner can deduce.

Etymology

Untell is made from un- meaning 'not' and tell, so it feels like 'not telling' or keeping a story back. That's why it means choosing not to tell or to withhold information.