1
as in allegories
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
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2
as in myths
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 tales
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 lies
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fables
Explore the Wild West from the back of a rickety wagon as characters share famed fables about Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox, Pecos Bill, John Henry and Hekeke.
—
Lesly Gregory,
AJC.com,
1 July 2026
My dad’s stories about his grade-school experience felt like dark fables, peppered with slurs hurled at him by classmates.
—
Rachel Tepper Paley,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 July 2026
The novel has a freewheeling spirit that recalls Italo Calvino’s space fables in Cosmicomics.
—
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
The collection spans centuries of storytelling in multiple genres, from migratory fairytales with kings and princesses to legends of ghosts and the Devil to fables with talking animals.
—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
The Syfy-channel TV show Channel Zero uses some of the best known of these fables as fodder for serialized storytelling.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
That Niall finds Ruben so alluring is natural to Gadd, who believes the notion of a valiant male figure has been bred into everyone via fables and fairy tales.
—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Fortnum & Mason does not need a goose from Aesop’s fables to have a golden egg.
—
Air Mail,
4 Apr. 2026
Both fables and translations are forms of constrained writing.
—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
Lesly Gregory,
AJC.com,
1 July 2026
My dad’s stories about his grade-school experience felt like dark fables, peppered with slurs hurled at him by classmates.
—
Rachel Tepper Paley,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 July 2026
The novel has a freewheeling spirit that recalls Italo Calvino’s space fables in Cosmicomics.
—
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
The collection spans centuries of storytelling in multiple genres, from migratory fairytales with kings and princesses to legends of ghosts and the Devil to fables with talking animals.
—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
The Syfy-channel TV show Channel Zero uses some of the best known of these fables as fodder for serialized storytelling.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
That Niall finds Ruben so alluring is natural to Gadd, who believes the notion of a valiant male figure has been bred into everyone via fables and fairy tales.
—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Fortnum & Mason does not need a goose from Aesop’s fables to have a golden egg.
—
Air Mail,
4 Apr. 2026
Both fables and translations are forms of constrained writing.
—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fables
Noun
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There are allegories that can be read about fear of the unknown breeding cruelty and exploitation, but Disclosure Day is first and foremost a propulsive yarn with thematic roots in hope, truth, empathy and perhaps even spirituality.
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Sci-fi stories about alien invasions have often functioned as political allegories for anxieties around empire and immigration, Lechuga says.
Noun
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Nseyo notes there are plenty of unsupported myths around what causes UTIs, so stick to these tips.
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Effective public speaking is crucial for personal branding and career advancement, a skill anyone can develop by replacing common myths with empowering mindsets.
Noun
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Daily tales of war and violence around the world made one want to clench one’s fists, grit one’s teeth, and to shout out in a paean of outraged hysteria.
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Hopefully, these three will be among the final cautionary tales of poor draft decisions.
Noun
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Finally, reality itself has a way of fighting back against lies and propaganda.
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Seems like far too many appreciate this type of corruption, and making money on SM for lies, is precisely that.
Noun
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Apparently all mothers, even surrogate mothers, were alike, but at least Adele no longer had to fear monitory parables from her real mother.
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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.
Noun
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Like Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed fighting to exhaustion, the two aging legends will look to do the same with a round-of-16 spot on the line.
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Now, Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon, two WNBA legends, will serve as general managers and select their rosters among the 22 All-Stars who get the opportunity to represent their teams in Chicago.
Noun
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Invasion fictions tended to spring up in response to each new form of invasion panic.
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The program also happens to be in line with one of the president’s convenient rhetorical fictions.
Noun
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As a coastal town shaped by generations of immigrants, Half Moon Bay now has a new art display that serves as a reminder of the people and stories that continue to define the community.
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The board was also expected to vote Friday on a new social studies curriculum that links Bible stories with American history.
Cite this Entry
“Fables.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fables. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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