Thesaurus results for APOLOGUE

apologue

noun

ˈa-pə-ˌlȯg

Definition of apologue

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

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for apologue

Noun

In the film, an impossible snowfall in a Ugandan village becomes a political allegory, echoing colonial intrusion.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 16 Aug. 2026
As with all Coppola films, the film’s allegory is rooted in a deeper sense of the history of power, capitalism, and the American experiment.

— Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of allegory

Noun

Mandela’s life and South Africa’s history should never be flattened into a corporate parable.

— Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
The pair’s mysterious interactions in the early chapters give way to a series of parables of doubt and belief, in which a rational character is confronted by an irrational event—and immediately convinced of its absolute truth.

— Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

Definition of parable

Noun

Even the 2025 Tigers, the team that staved off a monumental late-season collapse, lives on as a fable highlighting the importance of playing the whole schedule.

— Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Remember, in Aesop’s fable about the hare and the tortoise, slow and steady won the race.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of fable

Noun

The smart-mattress category Eight Sleep wants to escape just delivered a cautionary tale.

— Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
Betty Smith’s 1943 classic is a coming-of-age tale about a second-generation Irish-American girl named Francie who lives in Williamsburg with her family.

— Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of tale

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.

Browse Nearby Words

apologizing

apologue

apologues

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Apologue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apologue. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of apologue

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

cogent

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes