folklore

noun

ˈfōk-ˌlȯr How to pronounce folklore (audio)
Definition of folklorenext
as in mythology
the body of customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings associated with a people, thing, or place the Scottish Highlands are rich in folklore

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of folklore But this region in midwest Ireland, steeped in folklore, where the River Shannon meets the estuary’s tidal waters before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean, is also the unlikely site of bustling production activity. — Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026 Legend, truth, fiction, fact Popular media coverage of folklore often tries to debunk it. — Jeffrey Tolbert, The Conversation, 28 Oct. 2026 The Battle of Køge went down in folklore as Træskoslaget (the Clogs Battle). — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026 The project dovetailed into a roots zeitgeist also championed by Bad Bunny and Karol G, as well as releases from Argentine artists like Cazzu, Broke Carrey, and Feli Colina, which have beamed folklore to an uncharacteristically youthful audience. — Richard Villegas, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for folklore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folklore
  1. mythology
  2. tradition
  3. lore
Noun
  • With Forgotten Island‘s central story of friendship and themes inspired by Philippines mythology, Filipino-American singer Sophia Laforteza of the global girl group KATSEYE was a fitting pick to make music for the DreamWorks Animation film.
    — Katie Atkinson, Billboard, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In most versions of the Greek mythology, Medusa is a beautiful woman that was cursed by the goddess Athena with a head of snakes instead of hair and the horrible ability to turn people to stone with just one look.
    — Lynsey Eidell, Glamour, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of mythology
Noun
  • New York landing Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker — who has emerged as the draft’s top quarterback prospect — would be a painful blow to Miami, though the Jets have a long tradition of screwing up young QBs.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026
  • There is also concrete poetry—writing arranged in images or geometric forms—a tradition that can be traced to ancient instances of shaped poetry.
    — Alec Mapes-Frances, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of tradition
Noun
  • Then there’s his real-life lore… War, the new HBO drama about a high-profile divorce between a movie star and a billionaire tech founder, opens with Dominic West cheating on Sienna Miller.
    — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Pleiades open star cluster Don't be fooled by their beauty; the blue-white stars of the Pleiades are dripping in spooky lore.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of lore

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folklifes
folklore
folklores
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Cite this Entry

“Folklore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folklore. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on folklore

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about folklore

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