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
The film, a political fable, is about Marcel, a widower, a quiet man seeking refuge in a safe place, and a place of safety to raise his young son, while paranoia reigns around him.
—
Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
And what seems like fable is in fact autobiography, now being told in a multi-art performance by South Florida dancer-choreographer-director Pioneer Winter alongside special members of his collective.
—Guillermo Perez, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Gossip fed the frenzy of the Salem Witch Trials and has been the subtext of one too many fables where mischief masks moral rot.
—Oriel Feldmanhall, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
Nonetheless, Lloyd's production is handsomely realized, with striking silhouetttes courtesy of Jon Clark and unnerving sound design by Ben and Max Ringham, who add a low whirr of dread to the existential fable.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
And what seems like fable is in fact autobiography, now being told in a multi-art performance by South Florida dancer-choreographer-director Pioneer Winter alongside special members of his collective.
—Guillermo Perez, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Gossip fed the frenzy of the Salem Witch Trials and has been the subtext of one too many fables where mischief masks moral rot.
—Oriel Feldmanhall, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
Nonetheless, Lloyd's production is handsomely realized, with striking silhouetttes courtesy of Jon Clark and unnerving sound design by Ben and Max Ringham, who add a low whirr of dread to the existential fable.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable
Noun
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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
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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
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These passages reflect how divided the planet once was, how easily myths about the United States could become rooted in other countries.—
Tope Folarin,
The Atlantic,
8 Nov. 2025
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Some people believe that propane tanks explode from freezing temperatures, but this is a myth.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Musicalizing the story does little to ground the audience in Jackie’s world and instead pulls and stretches the tale, when the themes alone could speak for themselves.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
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As the title suggests, this sprawling tale centers on Raja, a man in his sixties who lives with his mother in Beirut, a city shaking with political and ecological turmoil.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Powell knows the lie will stick and immediately vows violent retribution.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
11 Nov. 2025
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We’re fed so many lies and people are talking about things that don’t hold much weight.—
Angel Diaz,
Billboard,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Maybe a bit like the characters in our parable.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Nov. 2025
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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
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Owens and her parents, KGO 810 radio legend Ronn Owens and former KCBS reporter Jan Black, moved to Arizona during the coronavirus pandemic, after Ronn Owens retired from KGO-810 after 46 years.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
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Clemson went on to win the ACC championship in ’67, and Howard’s line and the rubbing of the rock became legend.—
Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Watson's book was more akin to pulp fiction than definitive history.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
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Worries about fictions created by artificial intelligence used to prepare legal documents have plagued the legal community for the past few years, as the public’s infatuation with the generative technology has grown.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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This show has always been a part of our love story.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
11 Nov. 2025
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The Bee’s Darrell Smith contributed to this story.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.
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