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folktales

noun

plural of folktale
as in tales
a traditional description of imaginary events circulated orally among a people West African folktales that continue to be passed from generation to generation through storytelling

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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 folktales Almost all folktales are lessons about family, about roles and belonging. — Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026 The body horror of birth gives way to the fairy-tale horror of early motherhood, which McBride, a translator based in Barcelona, strews with literary Easter eggs from folktales and Victorian poetry. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Disney made its name on the back of fairy and folktales, retelling centuries-old stories and giving them a fresh new spin for modern audiences. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 24 July 2026 Irving may have been influenced by German folktales about a man who slept for 20 years, or European stories of terrifying headless riders, but these stories were set in rural New York state, with a distinctly American voice and references. — Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026 From causing supernatural events to creating hysteria, our orbiting nightlight has always had legends and folktales written about it. — Taylor Grothe, Parents, 28 June 2026 Traditionally played on string instruments like the dulcimer, fiddle, and banjo, this distinctly twangy genre passed down religious hymns, ballads, and folktales through generations. — Hillary Richard, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026 Comprising more than 300 folktales and legends from northern Norway, including many from the coastal Sámi and the Skolt Sámi of eastern Finland, this anthology shares narratives told by fishers, farmers, reindeer herders, lay preachers and teachers. — Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026 This ecology is woven into our folktales and culture. — Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folktales
  1. tales
  2. legends
  3. stories
  4. myths
  5. narratives
  6. histories
  7. romances
Noun
  • But as with many such tales of extraordinary success, the origin story is much darker.
    — Tracy Weber, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Inspired by the triad tales of a family driver, the girls decide to form a gang.
    — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of tales
Noun
  • These legends are way past hiding the cracks in their voices or the lines on their faces.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026
  • This season is a star-making moment for Beatty, whose parents, Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, are legends in their own right.
    — William Earl, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of legends
Noun
  • Little ones can color, solve puzzles, read stories, and more in this booklet.
    — Anja Webb, Parents, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Marrs Barron said there were many heartfelt stories of neighbors helping neighbors and municipalities helping each other when equipment broke down, with others bringing ice and water for workers at the compost sites.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of stories
Noun
  • He’s best known as the creator and star of the show Adam Ruins Everything — debunking cultural myths and other prevalent misconceptions — which ran for three seasons on TruTV.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The collection The Lucas Museum describes narrative art broadly as visual art that tells stories or communicates the beliefs, values, and myths through which people understand themselves and their societies.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of myths
Noun
  • Societal preferences can also evolve in response to changing contexts and sociocultural narratives.
    — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The festival, now a key stop on the Oscar circuit, will present a wide-ranging selection of 37 feature narratives and 26 feature documentaries, including nine world premieres.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of narratives
Noun
  • And the answer to that is there was a new reformulation of quantum mechanics developed by James Hartle, Murray Gell-Mann, and others, called the histories approach to quantum mechanics, or more precisely, decoherent histories approach.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Their brands are recognizable, their operations span the globe, and many have histories stretching back generations.
    — Bill Holodnak, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of histories
Noun
  • Now, as our influence contracts, the world returns to its old romances.
    — Robert Stone, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Marshals is back with more explosions, missing children and rural romances.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of romances

Browse Nearby Words

folktale
folktales
follies
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Cite this Entry

“Folktales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folktales. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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