as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
did you really see a bear, or are you telling us another one of your fairy tales?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 fairy tale
There are hot seats and there are inevitabilities, unhappy endings to would-be fairy tales.
—
Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
The Bachelor franchise has always stuck by a somewhat silly dogma—that despite the fact that its premise (one star dating 20-plus suitors) is ridiculous and inherently a little raunchy, the show is at its core a pure slice of an Americana fairy tale.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2025
Channing Tatum was almost the star of a Guillermo del Toro fairy tale.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
All this plays out against the Borg’s family home in Oslo, an old-world cottage that looks sprung from a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, but holding generations of memories and trauma, embedded in its walls.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fairy tale
Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
The Bachelor franchise has always stuck by a somewhat silly dogma—that despite the fact that its premise (one star dating 20-plus suitors) is ridiculous and inherently a little raunchy, the show is at its core a pure slice of an Americana fairy tale.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2025
Channing Tatum was almost the star of a Guillermo del Toro fairy tale.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
All this plays out against the Borg’s family home in Oslo, an old-world cottage that looks sprung from a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, but holding generations of memories and trauma, embedded in its walls.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fairy tale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fairy tale
Noun
-
The story has too many rich details to be a lie, and Marlon knows something of woe too.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Schiff has been repeatedly criticized by the President, who claimed that the Senator had made up lies about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In a battle between two undefeated NFC teams, the Buccaneers and Eagles played a tale of two halves that came down to the wire.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Told through empathetic interviews with his bandmates and family, Struebing’s ordeal becomes a tale of partial redemption and a lament about the failure of our justice system to meet the mental-health needs of people caught up in it.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Her stories began running Monday and will continue this week.—
Shaun McKinnon,
AZCentral.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fairy tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fairy%20tale. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share