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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Recent Examples of folktales
The story, based on Venezuelan folktales, is exciting and thought-provoking.
—
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
Below, see the streamer’s list of authors to watch, from contemporary folktales and family dramas to dark fantasy and spicy time travel tales.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
The company is also tapping into Asia’s rich pipeline of source material, from webtoons and web novels to traditional literature and folktales.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025
To keep her on track, Hero tells Cherry stories each night, loosely adapting the framework of the classic collection of Arabic folktales One Thousand and One Nights.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
Atmospheric principles and folktales, spirit and substance, opposites and inversions.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
The story centered on a young Palestinian man living in Jerusalem who must save his family after a Ghouleh, a female demon from his grandmother’s folktales, arrive in his town and threatens his home.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Freudians and evolutionary psychologists trawled folktales for evidence to shore up their theories.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Later, the look became incorporated in folktales as the attire of grim reapers.
—Claire Wang, NBC news, 12 Oct. 2025
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
Below, see the streamer’s list of authors to watch, from contemporary folktales and family dramas to dark fantasy and spicy time travel tales.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
The company is also tapping into Asia’s rich pipeline of source material, from webtoons and web novels to traditional literature and folktales.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025
To keep her on track, Hero tells Cherry stories each night, loosely adapting the framework of the classic collection of Arabic folktales One Thousand and One Nights.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
Atmospheric principles and folktales, spirit and substance, opposites and inversions.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
The story centered on a young Palestinian man living in Jerusalem who must save his family after a Ghouleh, a female demon from his grandmother’s folktales, arrive in his town and threatens his home.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Freudians and evolutionary psychologists trawled folktales for evidence to shore up their theories.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Later, the look became incorporated in folktales as the attire of grim reapers.
—Claire Wang, NBC news, 12 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folktales
Noun
-
There’s water everywhere, approach angles that punish the wrong side of the fairway, and a closing stretch with a long history of turning good rounds into cautionary tales.—
Jenny Catlin,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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Celebrate all things Irish, rock out to four bands, watch a musical that intertwines two mythic tales, see a Baltimore cult classic at the Senator Theatre and listen to a soulful tribute to R&B legends.—
John Coffren,
Baltimore Sun,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Sugar’s place in the Surfers’ Hall of Fame was cemented in 2024 when the dog’s paws were pressed into the sidewalk in front of the statue of Duke Kahanamoku in Huntington Beach, alongside prints from other surfing legends including world champs Kelly Slater and Andy Irons.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Paul Thomas Anderson and Benny Safdie showed up to film Winter’s solo show at Carnegie Hall, and rock legends from Julian Casablancas to Jeff Tweedy to Patti Smith have lined up to praise the band.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Most players, these days, share those stories on podcasts.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The island is famously low-key, thanks in part to an ordinance that restricts buildings over three stories, keeping high-rises and big resort brands off the sand.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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One of the projects, Ono Ghost Market, which was originally developed as a streaming series before being retooled as a feature film, will draw inspiration from Asian myths about supernatural marketplaces.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
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But the drastic measures that looksmaxxers are willing to take are lethal to one of their own foundational myths—the myth of natural beauty.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The section offers audiences a snapshot of a national cinema shaped by diverse genres and storytelling traditions, from social drama to crime narratives.—
Essie Assibu,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2026
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In the crowded forest of sports media—where talking heads build tidy little houses of straw narratives and stick-thin hot takes—there prowls a figure with a grin sharp enough to make the room uneasy.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Younger generations often encounter histories of violence first through digital platforms.—
Arnaud Kurze,
The Conversation,
9 Mar. 2026
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People seeking support often present with overlapping challenges such as anxiety, OCD, depression, trauma histories, chronic stress or relationship difficulties.—
Gwilym Roddick,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Australian singer opened up about his romances with Kylie Jenner, Gigi Hadid, and Miley Cyrus in a March 10 interview.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
10 Mar. 2026
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There are television romances—and then there is Outlander.—
Carly Witteman,
Vogue,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Folktales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folktales. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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