telltale
Indicator of truth
Telltale describes something that reveals or betrays information, often unintentionally: telltale signs of illness, a telltale blush.
The word suggests evidence that gives away what someone might prefer to hide.
As a noun, a telltale is an indicator or gauge—a ribbon on a sail showing wind direction, or a device monitoring machinery.
An older sense means a person who reveals secrets; a tattletale.
Solving aid
- hintIndirect suggestion
- indicatorSign revealing status
- signalMessage-conveying cue
- markerSomething that signals location
symptom · giveaway · pointer · cue · evidence · manifestation · warning · trace
One who informs on others
- snitchOne who tells authorities
- gossipInformal talk spreading rumors
- blabbermouthOne who reveals secrets
- talebearerOne who spreads rumors
informant · squealer · rat · busybody · yenta · gossipmonger · whistleblower · canary
Making known what's hidden
- incriminatingProving guilt or wrongdoing
- damningProving guilt conclusively
- betrayingBreaking trust or loyalty
- unmistakableImpossible to misidentify
obvious · conspicuous · suggestive · indicative · symptomatic · diagnostic · characteristic · distinctive
clue
Solving aid
marker · symptom · giveaway · pointer · cue · evidence · manifestation · warning · trace · footprint
tattletale
One who informs on others
- snitchOne who tells authorities
- gossipInformal talk spreading rumors
- blabbermouthOne who reveals secrets
talebearer · informant · squealer · rat · busybody · yenta · gossipmonger · whistleblower · canary · fink
revealing
Making known what's hidden
- incriminatingProving guilt or wrongdoing
- damningProving guilt conclusively
- betrayingBreaking trust or loyalty
unmistakable · obvious · conspicuous · suggestive · indicative · symptomatic · diagnostic · characteristic · distinctive · signature
yarn
Twisted strand for crafts
sail · rigging · streamer · pennant · flag · masthead · navigation
- blabbermouthsblabbermouth, gossipmonger, rumormonger, scandalmonger, talebearer
- cluesclue, clues, hint, hints, cue
- disclosurerevealing, disclosing, disclosure, disclose, divulge
- hintshint, clue, tip, nudge, cue
- Informerssnitch, informer, informant, fink, squealer
- sailing gearmainsail, sail, jib, spinnaker, genoa
telltalehidden
Kept out of sight
concealed · disguised · masked · camouflaged · obscured
telltaleuninformative
Conveying no knowledge
unrevealing · meaningless · ambiguous · inconclusive · indecipherable
telltalediscreet
Careful to avoid notice
secretive · tight-lipped · confidential · trustworthy · close-mouthed