: characteristic of or suitable to a fairy tale
especially
: marked by seemingly unreal beauty, perfection, luck, or happiness
led a fairy-tale life
a store clerk's fairy-tale romance
1
a
: a story (as for children) involving fantastic forces and beings (such as fairies, wizards, and goblins)
enjoyed the fairy tale "The Little Mermaid"
called also fairy story
b
: a story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending
those balletic fairy tales in which a new corps member steps in for an injured principal at the last minute and delivers a splendid performance—
Margaret Willis
Margaret Willis2
: a made-up story usually designed to mislead
an old-fashioned fairy tale depicting revolutionists as demigods—Jonathan Zimmerman
Jonathan ZimmermanExamples of fairy-tale in a Sentence
Noun
the fairy tale about the sleeping princess
Everything he told us about his happy marriage was just a fairy tale.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adam H. Graham, AFAR Media, 14 Oct. 2025
As a few quarterbacks could tell you, sometimes a change of scenery leads to a fairy-tale ending.
—Dianna Russini, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 14 Oct. 2025
Scenic designer Yi-Chien Lee has created a fairy tale-like cottage in The Dottie, a space with comfy seats, great sightlines and a cozy, intimate feel that’s just right for this play.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fairy-tale
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Adjective
Fairmont Chateau Whistler‘s 519-room fairy-tale château, which sits in a forest of snow-frosted evergreens, is a masterpiece of ski resort hospitality.
—Adam H. Graham, AFAR Media, 14 Oct. 2025
As a few quarterbacks could tell you, sometimes a change of scenery leads to a fairy-tale ending.
—Dianna Russini, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
Leavenworth itself feels like a fairy tale.
—Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 14 Oct. 2025
Scenic designer Yi-Chien Lee has created a fairy tale-like cottage in The Dottie, a space with comfy seats, great sightlines and a cozy, intimate feel that’s just right for this play.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fairy-tale
Cite this Entry
“Fairy-tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fairy-tale. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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