1
as in story
a rumor or report of a personal or sensational nature
don't believe the tales you hear about our neighbor's kid
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2
as in anecdote
a brief account of something interesting that happened especially to one personally
asked Dad to tell once again the tale of how, as a kid, he broke his arm jumping out of a tree
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3
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
told tall tales in an attempt to impress me with her supposedly upper-crust background
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in novella
a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel
the oft-told tale of Sleeping Beauty
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tale
Phoenix is a cautionary tale for overspenders during this new era of the NBA following the 2023 collective bargaining agreement, which increased penalties for repeat offenders and teams greatly exceeding the tax threshold.
—
Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 22 June 2025
Intel’s once dominant position in the semiconductor industry has eroded into a cautionary tale.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
That’s probably a result of living in an ever more individualized, ever less traditional, and ever more expensive society—and of having studied the cautionary tales of their elders.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 June 2025
There’s a reason people keep returning to the tale of Snow White and her friends.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 22 June 2025
Intel’s once dominant position in the semiconductor industry has eroded into a cautionary tale.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
That’s probably a result of living in an ever more individualized, ever less traditional, and ever more expensive society—and of having studied the cautionary tales of their elders.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 June 2025
There’s a reason people keep returning to the tale of Snow White and her friends.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tale
Noun
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For beautiful views of the Tennessee River and Wilson Dam, head to this greenspace with a scenic 1.3-mile trail along the waterfront with interpretive displays sharing stories about Florence’s history.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
5 July 2025
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
5 July 2025
Noun
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Of course, as with everything involved in this sextortion scam, that’s a lie.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
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Newsom is seeking $787 million — the same amount that Fox News paid to settle a defamation suit with Dominion Voting Systems, a company that claimed the network repeatedly aired false allegations about its voting machines to boost Trump’s lies that the 2020 election was rigged.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
27 June 2025
Noun
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The novella takes place over Christmas night, contained to the equivalent of a one-act play in the character Marie’s bleak apartment.—
Diana Arterian
June 20,
Literary Hub,
20 June 2025
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It’s built backward, as is the Stephen King novella on which it’s based.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
Noun
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The indictment, announced earlier this month, accuses McIver of three counts: two felonies for assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers—each carrying up to eight years in prison—and a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of one year.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 June 2025
-
Remember that social media success isn't measured by vanity metrics like follower counts, but by meaningful engagement with decision-makers in your target market.—
Yogesh Shah,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Noun
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On a sunlit slope above the Aegean, the ruins of an old Greek estate whisper stories of power, legacy, and familial pride.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
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What was once spoken only in whispers, if at all, by our mothers and grandmothers, is now trending on TikTok.—
Time,
Time,
26 June 2025
Noun
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As funny as its title suggests, Clam Down transcends its conceit to create a personal fable of transformation, family lore, natural history, and adaptation.—
Literary Hub
June 2,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2025
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Highlights this week include four of the greatest R&B divas to ever do it on one stage at Barclays Center, Rena Butler’s take on Aesop’s classic fable with Parsons Dance at The Joyce and a must-see immersive art exhibit in Chelsea celebrating Rolling Stone magazine.—
Karu F. Daniels,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2025
Noun
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The tally, 51-49, came after a tumultuous session with Vice President JD Vance on hand if needed to break the tie.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 June 2025
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The live-action remake added $19.4 million in its third weekend of release, bringing its North American tally to $200.5 million.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
29 June 2025
Noun
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The first half, directed by Sam Bailey, shapes into a heist procedural, albeit one where the victims are too generic for the scores to be all that satisfying.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
25 June 2025
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Here are the inspection scores and violations for restaurants within the city limits of Arlington for June 8th - June 21st, 2025 A score of 100 is a perfect score and 70 is considered to be extremely poor.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tale. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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