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
Image Her necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings feature realistically wrought fauna — the fables’ foxes, monkeys, crows, cats and so on.
—
Chantel Tattoli, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
As funny as its title suggests, Clam Down transcends its conceit to create a personal fable of transformation, family lore, natural history, and adaptation.
—Literary Hub
june 2, Literary Hub, 2 June 2025
Highlights this week include four of the greatest R&B divas to ever do it on one stage at Barclays Center, Rena Butler’s take on Aesop’s classic fable with Parsons Dance at The Joyce and a must-see immersive art exhibit in Chelsea celebrating Rolling Stone magazine.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 22 May 2025
Peter Rabbit himself is presented as a Jesus-like figure, with his countless fables documenting his frequent victories over the evil Mr. McGregor, a farmer in Potter's books but akin to the devil in Rusty Rabbit.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Chantel Tattoli, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
As funny as its title suggests, Clam Down transcends its conceit to create a personal fable of transformation, family lore, natural history, and adaptation.
—Literary Hub
june 2, Literary Hub, 2 June 2025
Highlights this week include four of the greatest R&B divas to ever do it on one stage at Barclays Center, Rena Butler’s take on Aesop’s classic fable with Parsons Dance at The Joyce and a must-see immersive art exhibit in Chelsea celebrating Rolling Stone magazine.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 22 May 2025
Peter Rabbit himself is presented as a Jesus-like figure, with his countless fables documenting his frequent victories over the evil Mr. McGregor, a farmer in Potter's books but akin to the devil in Rusty Rabbit.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable
Noun
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But Machete is also a still-timely political allegory about a monstrous conspiracy targeting Mexican immigrants.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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On a personal level, Moving’s allegory of superpowers as disability—cemented by disabled superhero Lee Jae-man (Kim Sung-kyun)—is an overdue approach to the genre.—
Geoffrey Bunting,
Time,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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For decades, Cubs fans clung to myths like the black cat and the Billy Goat Curse while searching for explanations for bad occurrences, only to see the team finally break through in 2016 and win a World Series.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Aug. 2025
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In myth, if a hero wants to achieve greatness—to slay a multiheaded Hydra, to part the Red Sea, to bring balance to the Force—he is almost required to have a dramatic paternity reveal.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
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With all due respect to the pressures of making an unconventional sci-fi film on a tight budget, using ecologically destructive technology for a story of ecological devastation, in which clean water is an increasingly rare resource, adds an unintentionally grim layer of irony to the tale.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
11 Aug. 2025
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The two met in secret, and some versions of the story suggest their love lives on only in death, much like the Western tale of Romeo and Juliet.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This term was named Oxford's 2024 Word of the Year. Cap (noun): A lie.—
Mia Thurow,
jsonline.com,
20 Aug. 2025
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And this show is full of evidence uncovering where their tastes lie, and more broadly, what is considered a museum-worthy photo today.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The playwrights intended the drama as an allegorical parable for the age shaped by Wisconsin Senator Joe McCarthy.—
Time,
Time,
10 July 2025
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The story is often described as a parable of freedom versus control.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
5 July 2025
Noun
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Old friends The first game of the season brings a Bucks legend back to Milwaukee for the first time.—
Eric Nehm,
New York Times,
15 Aug. 2025
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Continue reading … 'DON’T DO IT' – 'The View' host begs music legend to snub Trump's Kennedy Center honor.—
,
FOXNews.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The rich variety of colors on the covers of the books on the shelves signals romance fiction, too.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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Some original pulp fiction provided enough specifics to help readers navigate real-life lesbian locations, and The New Lesbian Pulp does the same.—
Trish Bendix
August 21,
Literary Hub,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Jordan Green and Diana Leyva contributed to this story.—
Joyce Orlando,
The Tennessean,
23 Aug. 2025
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This story has been updated to include more information.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.
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