urban legend

variants also urban myth
Definition of urban legendnext

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 urban legend It was then recycled on social media by anti-Israel partisans who amplified the slur into an urban legend. David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026 The mystery of Buzzy's disappearance remains one of the most infamous urban legends in Disney parks history, but for Bailey, the story is about more than just a missing robot. Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026 As Dyer notes, the essence of an urban legend is that it’s always told at a remove; this happened to a friend of mine… In this case, the third party might have been the person who convinced Cox his attacker was a giant squid. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Apr. 2026 Lots of small, family-owned and run Vietnamese and Vietnamese-Chinese refugee businesses there, alongside a long-standing Greek restaurant and a German restaurant with an urban legend about being haunted, and now, some Latinx businesses, a Jamaican restaurant, a Somali restaurant. Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for urban legend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for urban legend
Noun
  • While Westerly has proven not to be – despite internet hearsay – the site of pop megastar Taylor Swift's approaching wedding, the seaside town remains a favorite vacation destination of Swift's.
    Catherine Messier, The Providence Journal, 3 July 2026
  • Whether the episode amounted to anything beyond hearsay amid the ubiquitous sense of mass confusion and despair remains a question mark.
    Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Planning Director Cori Reaume told the council that the specific use permits means city staff would consider noise, water systems and effects of data centers on adjacent properties.
    Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
  • But lost amid the noise were two other mammoth data center projects making moves in metro Atlanta, both of which filed key state paperwork on the same day as OpenAI.
    Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 28 July 2026
Noun
  • Unless fans have been glued to every MCU rumor, Gosling’s introduction from Horowitz didn’t track well on stage.
    Jordan Moreau, Variety, 26 July 2026
  • Last February, Nyong’o spoke on Entertainment Weekly’s The Awardist about rumors that Marvel was considering recasting Boseman’s part in the wake of the Wakanda Forever reveal.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 26 July 2026
Noun
  • But Morningstar analyst Jing Jie Yu cautions in a July report that the Chinese company might not attract many customers abroad, with demand still coming mostly from home markets.
    Yue Wang, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • The report also alleged Phillips may have collected his government salary while working on campaign activity.
    Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 27 July 2026
Noun
  • The dinner menu will include a Texas wagyu steak, Iberico pork from Texas and chicken along with rotating pasta dishes, Yarbrough said.
    Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026
  • Pequod’s is a mainstay in the competitive Chicago pizza scene, but don’t call it deep dish.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • This article is featured in Stage Whisperer, Vulture’s weekly newsletter for theater news, gossip, interviews, and more.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 July 2026
  • At the same time, conspicuously present was Emma’s aunt, Julia, and her mother Kelly Cunningham, per celebrity gossip account DeuxMoi, which obtained photos of attendees.
    Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 29 July 2026
Noun
  • The ban, which allows humanoid makers to seek case-by-case approvals, could give Washington a bargaining chip in future talks with China.
    J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 29 July 2026
  • At the event, attendees can listen to in-depth talks by speakers from Zillow, Google, Uber and other companies, and then go hear DJs play R&B and Afrobeats.
    Mirtha Donastorg, AJC.com, 29 July 2026
Noun
  • Any intimations of exclusivity have gone out the window, just like the liquor bottles, condoms — and one TV — flung from balconies.
    Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
  • Lately, those intimations have hit closer to home.
    Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Urban legend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/urban%20legend. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster