FABLE Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

fable

noun

ˈfā-bəl

Definition of fable

as in allegory

a story intended to teach a basic truth or moral about life this classic Christmas film is essentially a fable showing how every person's life has meaning and touches the lives of others

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as in myth

a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature according to an ancient fable the waters of the mountain spring are the tears of a woman weeping for her lost children

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as in tale

something that is the product of the imagination the stories of lost cities of gold may have been fables deliberately concocted by Native Americans to dupe the Spanish

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lie

a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive the fables that people tell themselves to rationalize their failures and shortcomings

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of fable There is this Indian fable of a king whose heart resided in a parrot. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2026 Using a fable-like tone, the film provides a fresh perspective on the G8 violence that became a watershed moment in the anti-globalization movement. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026 Ajon [Singh] talked a lot about that fable of the two wolves. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026 Is the morality fable at the end an allegory of purgatory or hell? — The Week Us, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable

Noun

In comedy specials there’s a difference between storytelling for a cheap laugh and showing us an allegory or something with a deeper meaning within the story.

— Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
Eventually, allegory overwhelms dramaturgy, with a group of soccer hooligans—emblems of the volatility of men under threat—playing a pivotal role in Leo’s end.

— Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of allegory

Noun

For a young country, the United States is overblessed – or burdened – with myths about its foundation and how the nation has conducted itself at home and abroad.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026
The company said much of India’s mainstream horror keeps returning to the same supernatural staples and predictable beats, even though the country’s myths, folk tales and local beliefs offer far richer material.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of myth

Noun

Wildwood is a dark tale, with whispers of a witch, set against the beautiful yet formidable backdrop of rural New England.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
The tale is energized by the thoughtful performances of Hanns Zischler, as Mann, and Sandra Hüller, as the author’s daughter Erika, who accompanies him while reviving conflicts from her own past.

— Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of tale

Noun

In the background of a gut-wrenching new album from Teller Bank$, there’s a preacher who sees himself in the biblical parable of Noah’s ark.

— Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
There’s a reason why political stories are often chosen as parables for moral compromise.

— Matt Donnelly, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of parable

Noun

Doherty blends biography and fiction, myth and rock-and-roll in her dances.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
She’s gotten used to trying, and trying again; while applying for fiction writing classes in college, Adeyemi says, she was rejected five semesters in a row.

— Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Vanity Fair, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of fiction

Noun

Long story short, campers stay warmer on cold nights and cooler on hot nights without a loud, emissions-spewing engine or generator running in the background.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
While two of the three semifinalists had a base camp here, and international stars like Harry Kane, Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham lived in Kansas City, the biggest story arguably was what happened west of town.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of story

Browse Nearby Words

fab

fable

fabled

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Style

“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of fable

noun

Example Sentences

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