English · Word Candidate

telling

/ˈtɛlɪŋ/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: tellings

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Having force, or having a marked effect; weighty, effective.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Có sức mạnh hoặc ảnh hưởng đáng kể

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

a telling blow

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Revealing information; bearing significance.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Tiết lộ thông tin, mang ý nghĩa

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

a telling smile

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

The act of narration.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

hành động kể chuyện

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

The disclosure of information.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Sự tiết lộ thông tin

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

There may he sit and smile, or creep among the ships, or moan and sigh round islands in his great content—the miser lord of wealth in gems and pearls beyond the telling of all fables.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “telling” mean?

Having force, or having a marked effect; weighty, effective.

Is “telling” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.