What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Forthcoming vs Telltale - What's the difference?

forthcoming | telltale |

As adjectives the difference between forthcoming and telltale

is that forthcoming is (not comparable) approaching or about to take place while telltale is revealing something not intended to be known.

As nouns the difference between forthcoming and telltale

is that forthcoming is something that is yet to come while telltale is one who divulges private information with intent to hurt others.

forthcoming

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (not comparable) Approaching or about to take place.
    • I shall vote in the forthcoming election.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=October 1 , author=David Ornstein , title=Blackburn 0 - 4 Man City , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=The visitors began to hold a much higher line, passing and moving with greater urgency, and their reward was forthcoming .}}
  • Available when needed.
    • The money was not forthcoming .
  • Considerate and affable; willing to cooperate.
    • I am really a forthcoming person.

    Derived terms

    * forthcomingness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Something that is yet to come.
  • * 1831 , Archibald Mackerrell, An Apology for the Gift of Tongues and Interpretation
    • The reader, has had presented to him things not belonging to time or mortality, but awful realities issuing out from eternity, the audible forthcomings of a present living God.

    Anagrams

    *

    telltale

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who divulges private information with intent to hurt others.
  • (chiefly, US, slang) Tattletale; squealer.
  • Something that serves to reveal something else.
    • The telltale was the lipstick on his shirt collar.
  • (music) A movable piece of ivory, lead, or other material, connected to the bellows of an organ, whose position indicates when the wind is exhausted.
  • (nautical) A length of yarn or ribbon attached to a sail or shroud etc to indicate the direction of the flow of the air relative to the boat.
  • (nautical) A mechanical attachment to the steering wheel, which, in the absence of a tiller, shows the position of the helm.
  • (nautical) A compass in the cabin of a vessel, usually placed where the captain can see it at all hours, and thus inform himself of the vessel's course.
  • (engineering) A machine or contrivance for indicating or recording something, particularly for keeping a check upon employees (factory hands, watchmen, drivers, etc.) by revealing to their employers what they have done or omitted.
  • A bird, the tattler.
    • (Webster 1913)

    Synonyms

    * (one who divulges private information) blabbermouth, gossip, rumormonger, talebearer

    Related terms

    * tell tales

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • revealing something not intended to be known
    • His eye was blinking, a telltale signal that he was lying.
    He blushed when he approached, a telltale sign that he was happy to see him.

    Derived terms

    * telltale compass