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
  • Blending dark comedy, drama, and suspense, His Weakest Creatures is billed as a sharp allegory of love, survival, and moral compromise, culminating in an unexpected finale.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
  • After their collaboration on The Lobster, director Yorgos Lanthimos cast Farrell in yet another of his symbolic, surreal allegories.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Maybe a bit like the characters in our parable.
    Big Think, Big Think, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Frankenstein is the purest of parables—working both as a straight narrative and as a symbolic one.
    Guillermo del Toro, The Atlantic, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • According to historical fables, yes.
    Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • His movies — farces, fables, experiments — reside in surreal worlds of their own.
    Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This funny tale of unlikely heroism can be enjoyed either as a read-aloud or as a confidence booster for newly independent readers.
    Caroline Carlson, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • The tale away from the playing field in recent years has been dizzying, one of soaring costs and debts, of quirks and chicanery unseen elsewhere.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 3 Nov. 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 9 Nov. 2025.

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