1
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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2
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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3
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
4
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
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Recent Examples of fable
Nicole Kidman's fairy tale life turns into a twisted fable in the trailer for her latest thriller, Holland.
—
Jessica Wang, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
In a fable by Phaedrus, also written in the first century A.D., a barbarian is threatening the troops of the military leader, Pompey the Great.
—Tom Sapsford, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
The Tortoise And The Hare Anyone familiar with the famous Aesop fable knows that the tortoise uses smarts and diligence to beat the hare.
—Gerry Spitzer, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Based on the fable of Pegasus, the seven-part work is told through dance, music, puppetry and cinema.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Jessica Wang, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
In a fable by Phaedrus, also written in the first century A.D., a barbarian is threatening the troops of the military leader, Pompey the Great.
—Tom Sapsford, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
The Tortoise And The Hare Anyone familiar with the famous Aesop fable knows that the tortoise uses smarts and diligence to beat the hare.
—Gerry Spitzer, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Based on the fable of Pegasus, the seven-part work is told through dance, music, puppetry and cinema.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable
Noun
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Great sci-fi often serves as an allegory for current social and political issues.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2025
-
The comic is often read as a political allegory, particularly resonant due to the author's disappearance under Argentina's last military dictatorship, according to the Buenos Aires Herald.—
Jenna deJong,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 May 2025
Noun
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Set in a ghostly Himalayan town, the movie is billed as an exploration of myth, memory, and places left behind.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
16 May 2025
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The Odyssey, the Oppenheimer director’s epic take on the classic Greek myth, will shoot entirely on Imax film cameras, a first for a commercial feature.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Returning to the wuxia genre that has defined much of his illustrious career, Tsui explains his approach to this latest adaptation of the classic martial arts tale.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
8 May 2025
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The newest adaptation of the classic tale is on its way home to families.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
7 May 2025
Noun
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Of California’s 280 state parks, 17 lie in San Diego County — and several of those rank high for visitors.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 May 2025
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The sister discovers this lie and sets out to find the baby for herself.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
16 May 2025
Noun
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Sufi saints used stories, parables and allegories to teach spiritual truths.—
Sonya Rehman,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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While Jesus may have used parables and the Apostle Paul used letters, Francis used social media to spread the Gospel.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The best are legends in the hood, with street names like Twin and Taco.—
Paul Solotaroff,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2025
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According to legend, the village was named for the wives of its two founders, both named Ann, and the area’s towering bur oaks.—
Brandon Griggs,
CNN Money,
10 May 2025
Noun
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In this fiction, the Crusades were not waged against Moors, but against elves – a race said to devour the flesh of humans, among other atrocities that are neither confirmed nor denied by the end of the story.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
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And the contemporary women’s fiction category, where Reid is often listed, ended 2024 with a nearly 30% increase in sales over 2019 numbers, according to analyst Kristen McLean.—
Lucy Feldman,
Time,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Tommy McArdle,
People.com,
19 May 2025
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After a long, arduous wait, her story caught the attention of Royal Canine.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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