telling

American  

[tel-ing] / ˈtɛl ɪŋ /

adjective

1. having force or effect; effective; striking.

   a telling blow.

   Synonyms:

   weighty , potent , forceful , powerful

2. revealing; indicative of much otherwise unnoticed.

   a telling analysis of motivation in business.

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telling British  

/ ˈtɛlɪŋ /

adjective

1. having a marked effect or impact

   a telling blow

2. revealing

   a telling smile

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Other Word Forms

• tellingly adverb
• untelling adjective

Etymology

Origin of telling

First recorded in 1850–55; tell ¹ + -ing ²

Example Sentences

"Because of what it means to people, I realised this was an adventure where I could write a book telling a story not just about English football, but about England itself."

From BBC

LBC presenter James O'Brien paid tribute on air on Monday, telling listeners: "If he didn't invent the genre of radio that we all attempt to provide you with every day, then he certainly revolutionised it."

From BBC

What’s telling is that the other teams near the top of the list—the Jaguars, Bills, Cowboys and Broncos—are all vying for playoff spots.

From The Wall Street Journal

But because she’s telling the worst men what they want to hear, Stuckey has created space for herself to live out the usually male role of being the pompous bully who will brook no dissent.

From Salon

Siddiq's lawyers have disputed she is a Bangladeshi citizen, telling the Financial Times she has "never had" an ID card or voter ID, and "has not held a passport since she was a child".

From BBC

Related Words

• cogent
• conspicuous
• convincing
• decisive
• devastating
• forceful
• powerful
• satisfying
• striking
• trenchant