as in tales
a traditional description of imaginary events circulated orally among a people
West African folktales that continue to be passed from generation to generation through storytelling
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Recent Examples of folktales
Her mother, an enslaved woman whose name is lost to history, had been a storyteller, too, regaling the girl with folktales on the Maryland plantation where she was born in the mid-nineteenth century.
—
April White, JSTOR Daily, 15 Sep. 2025
From causing supernatural events to creating hysteria, our orbiting nightlight has always had legends and folktales written about it.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 27 Aug. 2025
His work includes Tokyo Cancelled (2005), a collection of contemporary folktales, and a novel, Solo (2009), which won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize (2010).
—Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Labubu was born in 2015 in Kasing Lung’s sketchbooks, part myth, part toy, growing from Nordic folktales into mischievous plush characters sold via How2Work.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Canada and the United States Indigenous tribes across what is now Canada and the northern United States (including Alaska) have myriad folktales surrounding the celestial dance.
—Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 30 Dec. 2024
Nair’s early exposure to traditional folktales and the lush landscapes of his homeland would later inform his distinct narrative style.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Dec. 2024
The holiday romp is notable for its many mythical villains, which draw inspiration from real folktales.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 22 Nov. 2024
Much of it reflected traditional folktales and mythology of the real world; there’s even a detailed creation myth, featuring a clash between gods.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
April White, JSTOR Daily, 15 Sep. 2025
From causing supernatural events to creating hysteria, our orbiting nightlight has always had legends and folktales written about it.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 27 Aug. 2025
His work includes Tokyo Cancelled (2005), a collection of contemporary folktales, and a novel, Solo (2009), which won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize (2010).
—Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Labubu was born in 2015 in Kasing Lung’s sketchbooks, part myth, part toy, growing from Nordic folktales into mischievous plush characters sold via How2Work.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Canada and the United States Indigenous tribes across what is now Canada and the northern United States (including Alaska) have myriad folktales surrounding the celestial dance.
—Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 30 Dec. 2024
Nair’s early exposure to traditional folktales and the lush landscapes of his homeland would later inform his distinct narrative style.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Dec. 2024
The holiday romp is notable for its many mythical villains, which draw inspiration from real folktales.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 22 Nov. 2024
Much of it reflected traditional folktales and mythology of the real world; there’s even a detailed creation myth, featuring a clash between gods.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folktales
Noun
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In Budapest, after the uprising against the Communist regime, Andor — raised by his mother with idealized tales of his dead father — has his world turned upside down when a brutish man appears, claiming to be his true father.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
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Ledford is a songwriter to watch, spinning urgent, gripping tales of life’s ups and downs in the midst of a wildly colorful and psychedelic musical universe.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Most Americans know his name, his primacy among blues legends, and the singular identity of his beloved hollow-body Gibson guitar named Lucille.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The ghosts of disco queens, salsa legends, and lovers pressed close on a crowded floor are still in the walls.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Understanding the difference between easy stories and harder truths is important for younger people who want to navigate their way through early adult life.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Those stories are important for sure.—
H. Alan Scott,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Partnerships like this help to dispel myths and skepticism surrounding LiDAR’s versatility.—
Ni Tao,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Forget the old myths about dressing up or sweet-talking your way to the front.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Here, our Arsenal writer Dan Sheldon and his City counterpart Jordan Campbell discuss the key issues and narratives that will dominate this game.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
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Also, its retrograde energy adds an element of review and surprise, as if the cosmos was pulling receipts and rewriting old narratives.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The original film ended with Law’s Graham and Diaz’s Amanda attempting to make their transcontinental romances work and ringing in the New Year together in Iris’ (Winslet) Surrey cottage.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
17 Sep. 2025
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The film charts his romances and business endeavors, including a nightclub that seemingly births the jazz movement.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Folktales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folktales. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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