Meanings
alternative show don't tell
- Advice to writers: convey an impression by the way that events are described in the narrative, and not by explicitly stating facts.
The second flaw is a flagrant violation of “show, don't tell.” Don't tell readers that she's sad and he's mad. Show the reader what they do. Worst of all, don't do both!
1999, Kendall Haven, Write Right!: Creative Writing Using Storytelling Techniques, Bloomsbury, page 1861 more example
In “Steve Jobs,” Oscar-winning writer Aaron Sorkin “Sorkins” the hell out of an unconventional adaptation of Walter Isaacson’s best-selling biography by daring to break the cardinal rule of show don’t tell.
2015 October 21, Dana Barbuto, “Review: Aaron Sorkin makes ‘Steve Jobs’ work”, in Northwest Herald
Translations
Arabic لا تفصح، بل أبد
- لا تفصح، بل أبدadvice
Dutch toon, in plaats van te vertellen
- toon, in plaats van te vertellenadvice
Esperanto montru, ne rakontu
- montru, ne rakontuadvice
French montre, ne dis pas
- montre, ne dis pasadvice
German zeigen, nicht erzählen
- zeigen, nicht erzählenadvice
Italian mostra, non raccontare
- mostra, non raccontareadvice
Persian نشان دهید، نگویید
- نشان دهید، نگوییدadvice
Russian показывай, а не рассказывай
- показывай, а не рассказывай (pokazyvaj, a ne rasskazyvaj)advice
Spanish mostrar, no contar
- mostrar, no contaradvice
Cite this entry
show, don't tell. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%2C%20don't%20tell
“show, don't tell.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%2C%20don't%20tell. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “show, don't tell,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%2C%20don't%20tell.
Source: show, don't tell on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.