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
This ecology is woven into our folktales and culture.
—
Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
The story, based on Venezuelan folktales, is exciting and thought-provoking.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
Below, see the streamer’s list of authors to watch, from contemporary folktales and family dramas to dark fantasy and spicy time travel tales.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
The company is also tapping into Asia’s rich pipeline of source material, from webtoons and web novels to traditional literature and folktales.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025
To keep her on track, Hero tells Cherry stories each night, loosely adapting the framework of the classic collection of Arabic folktales One Thousand and One Nights.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
Atmospheric principles and folktales, spirit and substance, opposites and inversions.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
The story centered on a young Palestinian man living in Jerusalem who must save his family after a Ghouleh, a female demon from his grandmother’s folktales, arrive in his town and threatens his home.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Freudians and evolutionary psychologists trawled folktales for evidence to shore up their theories.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
The story, based on Venezuelan folktales, is exciting and thought-provoking.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
Below, see the streamer’s list of authors to watch, from contemporary folktales and family dramas to dark fantasy and spicy time travel tales.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
The company is also tapping into Asia’s rich pipeline of source material, from webtoons and web novels to traditional literature and folktales.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025
To keep her on track, Hero tells Cherry stories each night, loosely adapting the framework of the classic collection of Arabic folktales One Thousand and One Nights.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
Atmospheric principles and folktales, spirit and substance, opposites and inversions.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
The story centered on a young Palestinian man living in Jerusalem who must save his family after a Ghouleh, a female demon from his grandmother’s folktales, arrive in his town and threatens his home.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Freudians and evolutionary psychologists trawled folktales for evidence to shore up their theories.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folktales
Noun
-
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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But even Black athletes whose athleticism gifted them an extremely exclusive express lane in life can tell you stories about growing up a minority in America, or tales their parents or grandparents have told.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Shi spoke of the need to sign players determined to become Wolves legends.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Walter Scott owner and winemaker Ken Pahlow originally bought Koosah grapes from Oregon wine legends Kevin and Carla Chambers, who planted both Résonance and Koosah vineyards before selling them to Louis Jadot, which kept the name Résonance for its Willamette Valley venture.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Superhero stories are copaganda; sitcoms sell middle-class norms.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The myths of Gollum and Frankenstein are obviously massively influential in the narrative structure people are imposing on this.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
-
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
-
Currently in post-production, the film combines Cambodian cultural narratives with English-language accessibility.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
-
Clark has pioneered new techniques in hybrid filmmaking—merging traditional production with GenAI tools—while also creating some of the most advanced fully generative narratives to date.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Professional commentators tended to see these developments in so many local terms—turning, for their explanations, to national histories, cultures and institutions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Sombreness has seldom looked more suave or felt more disciplined; the storytelling is astounding in its concision, sometimes to a fault, as the characters’ rich personal histories are elided.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Some of my favorite things about these characters is the friendships that form separate from the romances, and that also felt ripe for TV adaptation.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
-
People often assume that romances are the work of pure fantasy.—
Eloisa James,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Folktales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folktales. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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