exempla

noun

plural of exemplum
as in parables

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for exempla
  1. parables
  2. fables
  3. anecdotes
  4. narratives
Noun
  • Jesus taught his followers by his remarkable example, including innumerable healings, as well as through his sermons and parables.
    — Eric Bashor, Christian Science Monitor, 13 July 2026
  • Apparently all mothers, even surrogate mothers, were alike, but at least Adele no longer had to fear monitory parables from her real mother.
    — Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Definition of parables
Noun
  • Explore the Wild West from the back of a rickety wagon as characters share famed fables about Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox, Pecos Bill, John Henry and Hekeke.
    — Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 10 July 2026
  • In 1964, Time, which then had a circulation of more than 3 million, ran a cover story on John Cheever, the author known for his dark fables of suburban malaise.
    — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Definition of fables
Noun
  • The chapters follow the restaurant’s improbable success, offering extraordinary anecdotes, such as how a Yugoslavian immigrant happened to open a red-booth, comfort-food Italian restaurant.
    — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
  • Mulaney’s headlining set centered on stories about life with wife Olivia Munn and their two children, Malcolm and Mei, mixing family anecdotes with reflections on his hometown.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 13 July 2026
Definition of anecdotes
Noun
  • Sunday’s World Cup final will be contested by Spain and Argentina, and there are narratives to be unpacked all over the pitch.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • The real opportunity is to move beyond policies and narratives that pit specialties against one another.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 18 July 2026
Definition of narratives
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

exegetical
exempla
exemplar
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exempla.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exempla. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of maverick

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

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

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All