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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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
As a political fable this is potent stuff.
—
Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
The authors cited this year, each selected by a previous National Book Foundation honoree, write about the New York art world in the ’90s, the nauseating grip of social media, and the line between fable and fact in Hawaiian life.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Fortnum & Mason does not need a goose from Aesop’s fables to have a golden egg.
—Air Mail, 4 Apr. 2026
Described as a political fable that combines elements of a crime thriller with epic tragedy, the plot of Minotaur sees a Russian corporate executives preparing to carry out mass layoffs, who discovers his wife is having an affair.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fable
Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
The authors cited this year, each selected by a previous National Book Foundation honoree, write about the New York art world in the ’90s, the nauseating grip of social media, and the line between fable and fact in Hawaiian life.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Fortnum & Mason does not need a goose from Aesop’s fables to have a golden egg.
—Air Mail, 4 Apr. 2026
Described as a political fable that combines elements of a crime thriller with epic tragedy, the plot of Minotaur sees a Russian corporate executives preparing to carry out mass layoffs, who discovers his wife is having an affair.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable
Noun
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For Ishiguro, the quest results in a revelation of the darkest possible allegory.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Her 10-episode first season isn’t just an allegory for learning to accept and conquer life’s inescapable anxieties; its horrors are irrefutable for everyone onscreen, which makes for a cathartic, curious, and chilling experience for everyone watching at home.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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With ‘Hold On To Your Angels,’ Benh has set his powerful mix of intense realism, myth, and magic against the large scale of an epic love story.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
7 May 2026
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With ‘Hold on to Your Angels,’ Benh has set his powerful mix of intense realism, myth, and magic against the large scale of an epic love story.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
7 May 2026
Noun
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That’s easier to accomplish the further the plot moves away from a diplomatic incident involving several national institutions and toward an occasionally absurd — but absorbing and well-paced — tale of individuals in over their heads.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
8 May 2026
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San Diego County can once again be a model of fiscal responsibility — not a cautionary tale.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Having to fight and co-exist with those hell-bent on spewing lies and attention-grabbing hyperbole only clouds up the room, ruins the mood and takes away minutes from those who have been tackling real problems that truly need their government’s help.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
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Yesteryear is narrated by a woman named Natalie Heller Mills, a Ballerina Farm facsimile who is pregnant with her sixth child at the beginning of the novel, and whose pixel-perfect online life as @YesteryearRanch is essentially all a lie.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Noun
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Jesus, who speaks in parables, not in dicta or dogmas, provides us with a primary instance of the power of the nonliteral tale.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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On Sundays, O’Neal’s father preached hope from the pulpit, stories of his family intertwined with morals and truths and parables.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The barren landscape, despite its harsh conditions (daytime temperatures often exceed 125 degrees Fahrenheit), was—and still is—famous for its connection to many legends of treasure.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
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Sting, who became a legend in WCW before later signing with AEW for the last run of his career, remembered Turner as well.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Noun
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This book has an addictive narrative style that feels more like a fiction thriller than nonfiction.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
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Apple TV‘s Murderbot blends science-fiction, comedy, human emotion and many more elements, so the music is just as eclectic.—
Fred Topel,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Galvin later confronted the man who had messaged Kianna, who told her several different stories, according to Childs’ report.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
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This story was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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