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
Max Webster’s production, which won three Tony Awards for its mesmerizing design, brings audiences along on an adventure that combines the heartfelt wisdom of a classic fable with the splendor of modern stage poetry.
—
Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2025
With a beautifully labyrinthian plot, Alma and Mina’s story is a modern fable about good samaritans and well-intentioned, moneyed, privileged people.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for fable
Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2025
With a beautifully labyrinthian plot, Alma and Mina’s story is a modern fable about good samaritans and well-intentioned, moneyed, privileged people.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for fable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable
Noun
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Not to mention the unmissable and complex political allegories woven through each of the film trilogies and the subsequent proliferation of series, including Andor and The Mandalorian.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
26 May 2025
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The film seems to be intended as an AIDS allegory, depicting a virus spread by sharing needles and bodily fluids.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
19 May 2025
Noun
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The myth had inspired many works by Old Masters, including several paintings by Titian.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
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The line between the reality and the myth becomes blurred, and this confusion continues to harm women, especially those who are isolated and silenced.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
8 June 2025
Noun
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Guns, knives, swords, cleavers, axes, ice picks and flamethrowers will all be put to use in this tale of a revenge.—
Andrew Torgan,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
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For all that this season marks a new epoch in the tale of booming UEFA prize money, cash will be far from the thoughts of Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday evening in Munich.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Noun
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The sentiment speaks to what Urban Jürgensen has long understood, that the value of a timepiece lies as much in emotion as in engineering.—
Ryma Chikhoune,
Footwear News,
6 June 2025
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Where does the boundary between lust, obsession, fandom, and devotion lie?—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Some such principles can even be drawn from Christ’s own parables.—
Alejandro Antonio Chafuen,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
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The series of parables and contained narratives are also dotted with evidence of time travel.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
13 May 2025
Noun
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And the troubadour legend, who haunted those same Village clubs during that same time, was…a bit underwhelmed.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
4 June 2025
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The Axeman remains one of New Orleans’ most enduring legends, inspiring books, jazz ballads and even an appearance in American Horror Story, the FX series.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Noun
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The title is a reference to Samuel Beckett’s classic play about a pair of drifters stuck waiting for a visitor who never shows, while his blend of fact and fiction takes a page from Gonzo classics like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.—
Elisabeth Garber-Paul,
Rolling Stone,
29 May 2025
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Is that fact or fiction? North Texas has seen its fair share of rain over the month, including a stormy Memorial Day with 2.15 inches recorded at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 May 2025
Noun
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These highlights were written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
31 May 2025
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Wisely, the studio is keeping the story in the same universe by involving both Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso and Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han while starting a new story with Ben Wang’s Li Fong.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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