tell on
/tɛl ɑːn/
Meaning
To 'tell on' someone means to report their bad behavior, mistakes, or secrets to an authority figure like a parent, teacher, or boss. It is a casual expression most commonly associated with children, but adults use it too, often jokingly or to describe office gossip. The tone is informal and can sometimes sound slightly childish.
Examples
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My little brother promised not to tell on me for breaking the vase.
My little brother promised not to tell on me for breaking the vase.
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If you don't clean up this mess, I'm going to tell on you to Mom.
If you don't clean up this mess, I'm going to tell on you to Mom.
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He was worried that his coworker would tell on him for leaving early.
He was worried that his coworker would tell on him for leaving early.
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Please don't tell on me; it was an honest mistake!
Please don't tell on me; it was an honest mistake!
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She felt like a schoolchild when she had to tell on her teammate for not doing any work.
She felt like a schoolchild when she had to tell on her teammate for not doing any work.
Common Mistakes
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✗ He told me to the teacher.
✓ He told on me to the teacher.
Without 'on', 'told me' means sharing information directly with me, whereas 'told on me' means reporting my bad behavior to someone else.
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✗ Don't tell on me about my secret.
✓ Don't tell my secret.
You 'tell on' a person, not a secret. If you want to refer to the secret itself, use 'tell' or 'reveal' without 'on'.
Related Expressions
Practice
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Are you going to ___ me just because I took the last cookie?
💡 Report someone's minor bad behavior.
Show answer
tell on
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My sister always used to ___ me when we were kids.
💡 Inform an authority figure about mischief.
Show answer
tell on