tell-all

1. not comparableTelling all; revealing everything, particularly details or information that are normally withheld.

   Open source is a tell-all software development strategy.

   4 more examples

   The statesman's tell-all memoirs were not published until long after death.

   Mr. Will, whose inkhornisms remain a weekly treat, has had tough words for former White Housers who write tell-all books, so the younger George had better watch his tongue.

   1997 February 1, Walter Goodman, “The Role of Partisans in a Neutral Business”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   More unsettling was the origin story of the infamous tell-all book Princess in Love. Diana claimed to be outraged in 1994 when Daily Express journalist Anna Pasternak spilled the beans of her affair with former army officer James Hewitt[…]

   2022 April 5, Tina Brown, “How Princess Diana’s Dance With the Media Impacted William and Harry”, in Vanity Fair

   The Princess of Canada is a “sorority girl, actress, influencer, victim”, while her husband, the prince, has written a tell-all book about his family and the media called “Waaagh!”.

   2023 February 22, Alexi Duggins, “‘Baseless nonsense’: Meghan and Harry won’t sue South Park for mocking them”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

plural tell-alls

1. A publication, usually a book or magazine article, which tells all, revealing every detail, particularly information that is normally withheld.

   Surprise! I wrote a tell-all about each and every one of you!

   2010, Zoe Fishman, Balancing Acts: A Novel, page 357

   4 more examples

   At this point, we could all write a tell-all about our tabloid childhoods and contrive an autobiographical performance about the pleasures of humiliation.

   1998, Laurie Stone, Close to the Bone: Memoirs of Hurt, Rage, and Desire, page xi

   Mikerra had been offered a seven-figure book deal for a tell-all chronicling her relationship with Senator McCaffrey, his death, and the project's ultimate demise.

   2009, Kennedy Shaw, Tour of Duty, page 308

   Of all the people in the world to write a tell-all about The Lunch Club, it had to be Missy Adams?!

   2011, Star Jones, Satan's Sisters: A Novel Work of Fiction, page 23

   The highly anticipated proceedings are poised to serve as a tell-all on FTX and Alameda’s shocking downfall, with jurors weighing whether Bankman-Fried callously lined his pockets with hapless investors’ money. Ellison will play a pivotal role in the case.

   2023 September 30, Victoria Bekiempis, “‘Dark’ donations, free love and the fall: the Sam Bankman-Fried trial is here”, in The Guardian, →ISSN