Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

tell-on

phrasal verb

/tɛl ɒn/

Definition

To inform someone about someone else’s wrongdoing or secret.

Examples

When I found out that John was cheating in the game, I didn’t want to tell on him.
If you tell on your classmate, you could get him into trouble.
She was afraid to tell on her friend, even though she knew it was wrong.

Meaning

The phrase ‘tell on’ is used when a person reveals information about another person’s actions or behavior, often in a context where the information may be confidential or considered a betrayal.