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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fable
Max Webster’s production, which won three Tony Awards for its mesmerizing design, brings audiences along on an adventure that combines the heartfelt wisdom of a classic fable with the splendor of modern stage poetry.
—
Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2025
With a beautifully labyrinthian plot, Alma and Mina’s story is a modern fable about good samaritans and well-intentioned, moneyed, privileged people.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Nicole Kidman's fairy tale life turns into a twisted fable in the trailer for her latest thriller, Holland.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
In a fable by Phaedrus, also written in the first century A.D., a barbarian is threatening the troops of the military leader, Pompey the Great.
—Tom Sapsford, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2025
With a beautifully labyrinthian plot, Alma and Mina’s story is a modern fable about good samaritans and well-intentioned, moneyed, privileged people.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Nicole Kidman's fairy tale life turns into a twisted fable in the trailer for her latest thriller, Holland.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
In a fable by Phaedrus, also written in the first century A.D., a barbarian is threatening the troops of the military leader, Pompey the Great.
—Tom Sapsford, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable
Noun
-
The collection of films—from unsettling horror and feminist thrillers to cosmic punk epics and political allegories— celebrates the ways Asian cinema defies convention.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2025
-
What begins as a character study morphs into an allegory of human greed and climate change.—
Boutayna Chokrane,
Wired News,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The myth had inspired many works by Old Masters, including several paintings by Titian.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
-
The line between the reality and the myth becomes blurred, and this confusion continues to harm women, especially those who are isolated and silenced.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
The revelation of Izzy and Ferd’s son is sketchy; a suicide tale lacks a set-up or point; intriguing female bonds are underwritten; and all-too-familiar tropes associated with spousal violence weaken the work.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
13 June 2025
-
Ratnam, working from a story by Haasan, sets up a familiar but resonant tale of father and son.—
Anupama Chopra,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
The sentiment speaks to what Urban Jürgensen has long understood, that the value of a timepiece lies as much in emotion as in engineering.—
Ryma Chikhoune,
Footwear News,
6 June 2025
-
Where does the boundary between lust, obsession, fandom, and devotion lie?—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
Some such principles can even be drawn from Christ’s own parables.—
Alejandro Antonio Chafuen,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
-
The series of parables and contained narratives are also dotted with evidence of time travel.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
And the troubadour legend, who haunted those same Village clubs during that same time, was…a bit underwhelmed.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
4 June 2025
-
The Axeman remains one of New Orleans’ most enduring legends, inspiring books, jazz ballads and even an appearance in American Horror Story, the FX series.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
On his life as a moviegoer So vividly drawn is King’s fiction that it’s offered the basis for some 50 feature films.—
Jake Coyle,
Twin Cities,
5 June 2025
-
From Paper to Protocol Today’s trade infrastructure is a patchwork of legal fictions and trust intermediaries - letters of credit, bills of lading, third-party guarantees - many of which exist solely to simulate trust.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
There are honestly a number of pretty good performances this season (Ivanek is consistently entertaining) but they’re all dragged down by a terrible script and a story that keeps going nowhere fast.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Now managed by the National Trust, the estate is open to the public, allowing visitors to step inside and experience firsthand the setting of one of literature’s most enduring love stories.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share