assure and tell share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. assure means “make certain of”. tell means “express in words”. tell is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/əˈʃʊɹ/
1.v.make certain of
“This nest egg will ensure a nice retirement for us”
2.v.inform positively and with certainty and confidence
“I tell you that man is a crook!”
3.v.assure somebody of the truth of something with the intention of giving the listener confidence
“I assured him that traveling to Cambodia was safe”
/ˈtɛl/
1.v.express in words
“He said that he wanted to marry her”
2.v.let something be known
“Tell them that you will be late”
3.v.narrate or give a detailed account of
“Tell what happened”
| assure | tell | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈʃʊɹ/ | /ˈtɛl/ |
| Said | uh-SHUUR | tel |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | verb | verb, noun |
| Senses | 6 | 9 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | guarantee, ensure, insure | state, say |
Full entry for assure · Full entry for tell · More comparisons