Orde Coombs 
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Myth and Urban Myth
For a word so often applied to events or stories from long, long ago, myth has a remarkably recent history in the English language. The earliest evidence for the word is from 1830, well after the time when the events themselves are thought to have occurred (though it should be noted that the related words mythology and mythic are hundreds of years older – still not as old as Achilles, but not young, either!). One application of myth, however – in the phrase urban myth – is quite new. Curiously, an urban myth does not usually have anything to do with the city: it is simply “a story about an unusual event or occurrence that many people believe is true but that is not true.” An example would be the tale that Elvis Presley is still alive after spending decades in a witness protection program. The phrase urban myth has been used to describe such hoaxes since at least 1971.
Examples of myth in a Sentence
Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Common myths, such as opening windows or hiding in a southwest corner, are false and can increase danger.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The series is based on the play by Kat Sandler, who serves as the show’s writer and showrunner, and is a contemporary reimagining of the myth of Baba Yaga set in a coastal town.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
The pervasive myth exists in the yoga community that flexibility and breath are the practice, and that nutrition plays a distant, secondary role.
—William Jones, Ascend Agency, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for myth
Cite this Entry
“Myth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/myth. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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myth
noun
