: characteristic of or suitable to a fairy tale
especially
: marked by seemingly unreal beauty, perfection, luck, or happiness
led a fairy-tale life
a store clerk's fairy-tale romance
1
a
: a story (as for children) involving fantastic forces and beings (such as fairies, wizards, and goblins)
enjoyed the fairy tale "The Little Mermaid"
called also fairy story
b
: a story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending
those balletic fairy tales in which a new corps member steps in for an injured principal at the last minute and delivers a splendid performance—
Margaret Willis
Margaret Willis2
: a made-up story usually designed to mislead
an old-fashioned fairy tale depicting revolutionists as demigods—Jonathan Zimmerman
Jonathan ZimmermanExamples of fairy-tale in a Sentence
Noun
the fairy tale about the sleeping princess
Everything he told us about his happy marriage was just a fairy tale.
Recent Examples on the Web
Julie Jordan, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025
In homage to the fairy-tale mushroom, Jihyun Kim offers a deceitfully squishy-looking ceramic one inspired by a jar of salt her Korean grandmother kept by the front door to fend off negative energy.
—Morgan Meier, Curbed, 14 Apr. 2025
PC Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
But then the Huskies came out and got the fairy tale.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
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Adjective
Long a beauty icon, Demi Moore delivered the performance of her career in 'The Substance' — and proved she's never been more comfortable in her own skin
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Demi Moore’s Oscar night wasn’t the fairy-tale ending many had predicted for the star, the season’s favorite to win best actress.
—Julie Jordan, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025
In homage to the fairy-tale mushroom, Jihyun Kim offers a deceitfully squishy-looking ceramic one inspired by a jar of salt her Korean grandmother kept by the front door to fend off negative energy.
—Morgan Meier, Curbed, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
At times, Expedition 33 feels like a twisted fairy tale, something akin to Alice in Wonderland but far more French (complete with mimes and marionettes).
—PC Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
But then the Huskies came out and got the fairy tale.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fairy-tale
Cite this Entry
“Fairy-tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fairy-tale. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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