OLD WIVES' TALES Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

old wives' tales

noun

plural of old wives' tale

as in errors

a false idea or belief the belief that going outside with wet hair will cause you to catch cold is just an old wives' tale

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for old wives' tales

Noun

Headline figures such as tasks completed, queries handled or hours saved can look impressive while concealing errors, rework, poor customer outcomes and escalating operating expenses.

— Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
High jump is a technical event — while physiology matters, the winner tends to be decided by who can best correct their errors as the bar goes up.

— Liam Tharme, New York Times, 25 July 2026

Definition of errors

Noun

Host Karina Longworth strips away the sanitized studio myths of Old Hollywood, offering meticulously researched, creative nonfiction that portrays famous icons as relatable, flawed human beings rather than untouchable legends.

— Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
In a country stubbornly attached to myths about the military’s positive transformative power, Platner presented a stark counterfactual.

— Jasper Craven, New Yorker, 24 July 2026

Definition of myths

Noun

Symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations, extreme depression, insomnia, paranoia and rapid mood swings.

— N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 20 July 2026
On their debut album, the Detroit musician skewers social-climbing scene darlings and tackles personal existential delusions over a frenetic blend of post-punk and electro-pop.

— Cassidy Sollazzo, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026

Definition of delusions

Noun

Neither of them, however, had any illusions about his prospects.

— Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
Because only in intense, rarefied states will our illusions finally drop away, like redundant scaffolding, freeing us to perceive life on a more visceral level.

— Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026

Definition of illusions

Noun

Dafoe’s Thomas Wake is the film’s Proteus figure, a salty old lighthouse keeper who speaks like someone out of ancient myth, dispensing prophecies and superstitions.

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 18 July 2026
These are the words of Argentina President Javier Milei who was busy explaining his superstitions to a local radio show after watching his nation make the World Cup final.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 17 July 2026

Definition of superstitions

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Browse Nearby Words

old wives' tale

old wives' tales

old-world

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“Old wives' tales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/old%20wives%27%20tales. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of old wives' tales

noun

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