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
This ecology is woven into our folktales and culture.
—
Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
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
Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folktales
Noun
-
Such tales clearly advise against judging people on material criteria, or assuming value based on markers of religion, class and political authority.—
Perin Gürel,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
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Someday, Victor Vodnik can regale his three young daughters, Ariel, Rose, and Viviana, with tales about his battles with Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And a powerhouse group of legends—Halle Berry!—
Brittany Talarico,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Related Stories Most of his other hits were co-writes, many of them with fellow songwriting legends like Paul Overstreet.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Inside the media center, rows of workstations equipped with laptops and charging points allow reporters to file stories.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Filmmakers have used the Civil War as a setting for many decades now, inspiring stories of epic military battles, romantic melodramas, and even satires, from sweeping Best Picture winners like Gone With the Wind (1939) to revisionist Westerns like Django Unchained (2012).—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The film critiques persistent myths in medical science and highlights the effects of systemic racism on health outcomes, while also promoting discourse and solutions through a robust outreach campaign aimed at educating communities and healthcare institutions about these pressing issues.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Dielz’s encyclopedia of flowers contains illustrations of and factoids, poems, and myths about flowers.—
Diana Arterian,
Literary Hub,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The film shifts the focus from traditional narratives of policy and victimhood to the everyday experiences of individuals adapting to a life of constant threat, raising critical questions about whether these safety rituals signify true preparedness or a surrender to violence.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Still, Gadd’s funny bone might also find an outlet in other people’s narratives.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But the Border Patrol has never provided evidence that its agents targeted people with violent criminal histories.—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Apr. 2026
-
But evidence is mounting that applicants with questionable histories were either not fully vetted before they were brought on or were hired in spite of their past, an investigation by The Associated Press found.—
Ryan J. Foley,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
By the time the series wrapped in 2003, Joey and Pacey's friends-to-lovers story line cemented its spot in iconic television romances.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
-
This gap between production costs and potential profit historically has given studios incentive to make more romances, not fewer — and to pave the way for surprise hits.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Folktales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folktales. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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