1
as in allegory
a story intended to teach a basic truth or moral about life
this classic Christmas film is essentially a fable showing how every person's life has meaning and touches the lives of others
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2
as in myth
a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature
according to an ancient fable the waters of the mountain spring are the tears of a woman weeping for her lost children
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3
as in tale
something that is the product of the imagination
the stories of lost cities of gold may have been fables deliberately concocted by Native Americans to dupe the Spanish
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
the fables that people tell themselves to rationalize their failures and shortcomings
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fable
On Friday, April 10, when those winged sprites took to the War Memorial Opera House stage for a seven-performance run, the whole tartan-and-gossamer fable felt more alive than ever.
—
Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Apr. 2026
Conducted by Daniela Candillari and directed by Patricia Racette this Appalachian fable will star Gabriella Reyes as Susannah.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
As a political fable this is potent stuff.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
The authors cited this year, each selected by a previous National Book Foundation honoree, write about the New York art world in the ’90s, the nauseating grip of social media, and the line between fable and fact in Hawaiian life.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fable
Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Apr. 2026
Conducted by Daniela Candillari and directed by Patricia Racette this Appalachian fable will star Gabriella Reyes as Susannah.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
As a political fable this is potent stuff.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
The authors cited this year, each selected by a previous National Book Foundation honoree, write about the New York art world in the ’90s, the nauseating grip of social media, and the line between fable and fact in Hawaiian life.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable
Noun
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That’s still intense emotional and intellectual material for a mainstream TV series, but the Muschiettis, much like King, refuse to frame their work as an abstract allegory.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
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The story, based on a graphic novel co-written by Harari, might sound like an allegory of trans identity.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Some believe Benjamin Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be the national bird because the eagle steals food from other birds, but Kochersperger said that’s a myth.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
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Like so many historical myths, this swashbuckling tale of pirates, court accusations, and gossip, which frames the rags-to-riches emergence of this American family, is rife with historical fiction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Because either McCluskie is one heck of a con man who rolled both Becerra and Williamson, making both believe what was happening was kosher with entirely different tales, or someone isn’t being entirely honest.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
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The bittersweet tale infused with humor and sadness chimed with the Cannes audience.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Noun
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There, a mad, out-of-control Mary lives on as tenaciously as George Washington’s inability to tell a lie.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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As their lies unravel, Nora and Jack try to outsmart one another.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Jesus, who speaks in parables, not in dicta or dogmas, provides us with a primary instance of the power of the nonliteral tale.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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On Sundays, O’Neal’s father preached hope from the pulpit, stories of his family intertwined with morals and truths and parables.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Attend a world-class sporting event, walk or run to help those who help others, see a rock legend perform, see a live-action version of a children's show, or simply relax with a glass of wine.—
John Coffren,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
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Club legend and current assistant coach Roger Espinoza gave the pre-game speech.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
Noun
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But mostly, the intertwining threads just sit there, never coming together in any satisfying way or holding up as their own story within the story, despite how hard the writers work at showing that reality can inspire fiction but fiction can also bounce back to influence reality.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
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For the week ending May 10, 2026 Here are this week’s Independent Press Top 40 Bestsellers for fiction, based on sales in hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide, generously provided by the American Booksellers Association.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.—
Jo Yurcaba,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
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Eggs, sushi, and crypto The account paid attention to smaller stories, too.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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