fairy-tale

adjective

\ ˈfer-ē-ˌtāl

Definition of fairy-tale

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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

fairy tale

noun

Definition of fairy tale (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : 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

2 : a made-up story usually designed to mislead an old-fashioned fairy tale depicting revolutionists as demigods— Jonathan Zimmerman

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About fairy-tale

Examples 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: Noun In this treasured fairy tale, a beauty named Belle is imprisoned in a castle, far, far away by a frightening beast. — Amanda Kondolojy, Orlando Sentinel, 21 July 2022 In a real fairy tale, her tea kettle would turn into a carriage and those dogs would become plumed white horses. — Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 12 July 2022 In other words, the climate-warming carbon gas is turned into stone, like the villain in a fairy tale. — Vince Beiser, Wired, 28 Dec. 2021 There’s a poignancy to Sonny’s pathetic delusions of grandeur that’s unique in The Godfather, a fractured fairy tale about the American dream. — Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2022 The moment when the fairy tale about pure and cloistered colleges began to fall apart can be dated with some precision. — Andrew Delbanco, The New York Review of Books, 8 June 2022 Brelby Productions presents this 60-minute fairy tale about the sun and moon, who have loved each other for eons, finally able to meet in person during an eclipse. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2022 Joe Biden’s dark fairy tale about the country returning to Jim Crow is not merely an egregious political falsehood. — Gerard Baker, WSJ, 24 Jan. 2022 This one has enough wide-eyed boldness and shimmer to earn the designation of fairy tale. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 July 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fairy-tale.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.