tell secret

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "tell secret" is not a complete sentence and is not grammatically correct in written English.
It is likely missing a subject, such as "I" or "you", and a verb, such as "to" or "your". A correct and usable sentence could be "I told her a secret", or "He told his friend the secret". The verb "to tell" requires an object, so the sentence needs to include the person who is being told the secret. Example: "She promised to never tell the secret I shared with her."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Daniel Ellsberg, the celebrated American whistleblower who leaked the Pentagon Papers about the build-up to the war in Vietnam, described it as "the most important and courageous leak I have ever seen".He added: "No one else – including myself – has ever done what Katharine Gun did: tell secret truths at personal risk, before an imminent war, in time, possibly, to avert it".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Why would Snowden tell secrets?

The New Yorker

He continued, "I did not tell secrets.

The New Yorker

"You tell secrets in forts," he said.

The New York Times

He recalls her saying that in their family one did not tell secrets to strangers.

The New Yorker

They tell secrets they've never told anyone else — about long-ago abortions, family troubles, financial problems.

The New York Times

But they don't engage in silly chatter and they don't tell secrets".

The New York Times - Health

It's a place where people tell secrets and lies.

BBC

Tell secrets.

WikiHow

Don't tell secrets.

WikiHow

Crushes can be obvious, and people tell secrets.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always include a subject and object when using "tell" in relation to secrets. For example, use "tell someone a secret" or "tell a secret to someone".

Common error

Avoid using "tell secret" without specifying who is telling the secret and to whom. This omission makes the phrase grammatically incorrect and unclear.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tell secret" functions as an incomplete verb phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it requires a subject and an object to form a grammatically correct sentence. For example, it needs someone to "tell" and someone to "tell to".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Wiki

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "tell secret" is rarely used and grammatically incorrect as it stands. According to Ludwig AI, it requires a subject and object to form a complete and meaningful sentence. To use it correctly, structure your sentence to include who is telling the secret and to whom they are telling it. While sources like The New York Times and WikiHow contain examples, the phrase's informal nature and grammatical issues suggest using more complete and formal alternatives like "reveal a secret" or "share a secret" depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reveal a secret

Replaces "tell" with "reveal", emphasizing the act of uncovering something hidden.

share a secret

Uses "share" instead of "tell", highlighting the act of entrusting someone with private information.

divulge a secret

Replaces "tell" with "divulge", suggesting a more formal or reluctant revelation.

disclose a secret

Emphasizes making a secret known, often in a professional or official context.

confess a secret

Implies admitting to something previously hidden, often with a sense of guilt or vulnerability.

unveil a secret

Suggests a dramatic or ceremonial revelation of something previously hidden.

let out a secret

Suggests an accidental or unintentional revelation of a secret.

give away a secret

Implies inadvertently revealing a secret through carelessness or lack of discretion.

impart a secret

Uses a more formal term, "impart", to convey the act of sharing confidential information.

leak a secret

Suggests revealing secret information, often without permission.

FAQs

How to correctly use "tell secret" in a sentence?

The phrase "tell secret" is grammatically incomplete. You should use a structure like "tell someone a secret", for example, "I will "tell you a secret"" or "She "told him a secret"".

What is a more formal way to say "tell a secret"?

More formal alternatives to "tell a secret" include "divulge a secret", "disclose a secret", or "reveal a secret". These options are suitable for professional or academic contexts.

Is it correct to say "i'm telling a secret"?

It is grammatically correct. "I'm telling a secret" indicates that you are currently in the process of revealing a secret to someone. A more common phrasing might be "I'm going to "tell you a secret"".

What's the difference between "tell a secret" and "keep a secret"?

"Tell a secret" means to reveal private information, while "keep a secret" means to not disclose private information that you know. They are opposites in meaning.