told (A2)

verb

Pronunciation: /toʊld/

Definition

Past tense and past participle of 'tell', meaning to communicate information or stories to someone by speaking or writing.

Examples

• He told me he was going to be late.

• The book told the story of a brave knight.

• She told the truth, even though it was difficult.

How to Use told

tell someone something (prepositional phrase)

To communicate information directly to a person. — "I told him the news as soon as I saw him."

tell someone to do something (prepositional phrase)

To instruct or command someone to perform an action. — "She told him to wait by the door."

tell a story (collocation)

To recount a sequence of events. — "He told a funny story about his vacation."

tell the truth (collocation)

To speak honestly. — "It's always best to tell the truth."

tell a lie (collocation)

To speak falsely. — "He told a lie about his age."

Synonyms of told

Words with a similar meaning to told:

• said
• narrated
• informed
• related

Antonyms of told

Words with the opposite meaning to told:

• listened
• kept silent

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