as in allegory
a story intended to teach a basic truth or moral about life the film is an apologue of sorts, but the message is couched in a zany and action-filled plot

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for apologue
Noun
  • In its pleasantly complicated world-building, the series manages to be a shrewd political thriller, a cracking adventure, and a haunting religious allegory rolled into one.
    Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 3 July 2025
  • Now, over two decades later, 28 Years Later breathes new life into the franchise’s infection allegory in a world that is still recovering from a years-long global pandemic.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 June 2025
Noun
  • It’s been codified as myths, proverbs, clichés, epigrams, parables; the skeleton of every great story.
    Jann E. Freed, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
  • Some such principles can even be drawn from Christ’s own parables.
    Alejandro Antonio Chafuen, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • Like all great fables, Brown’s story is deceptively simple.
    Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
  • Image Her necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings feature realistically wrought fauna — the fables’ foxes, monkeys, crows, cats and so on.
    Chantel Tattoli, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The Coldplay public humiliation is a cautionary tale of atrophied American privacy.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
  • That tale is just one of many in the story that don’t show Joel in an especially flattering light.
    David Browne, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2025
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.

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“Apologue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apologue. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

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