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
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
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
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
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
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His story mostly exists in the 13th century version of Arthurian tales known as the Vulgate Cycle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
Ollinger was known to indulge fans with tales of unusual encounters with possible paranormal connection.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2026
Noun
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From Cold War legends to modern battlefield predators, these are seven of the deadliest helicopters ever used by military forces around the world.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 June 2026
-
The surprises of Dragon Striker will unfold as characters explore the legends right under their noses.—
Allison McClain Merrill,
Parents,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Its grandeur, natural beauty, and larger-than-life mythos fuel these narratives, with some of the most sacred stories belonging to those who have resided on the land from time immemorial.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
The food and travel personality explores the people, places and hidden stories behind iconic global destinations.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Other myths, such as how tanning your perineum can boost energy and balance hormones, or how eliminating seed oils from your diet will protect you from the sun, have also fed into Gen Z tanning culture.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
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In warmer climates, heat pumps operate more efficiently, but many of the same myths persist.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Back in markets, Bitcoin is bruised – on pace for its worst week since February amid a record streak of bitcoin ETF outflows as the crypto market breaks from its dominant narratives.—
Katie Foley,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
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These range from narratives on the current status of Crimea and justifications for the war in Ukraine to the history of NATO and justification for Russia’s annexation of Baltic states during World War II.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Armitage fused East African histories, mythology, sexuality, violence, and colonial memory into lush, unstable compositions that felt simultaneously intimate and epic.—
Thomas Rom,
ARTnews.com,
8 June 2026
-
Considering that universities have a mixed record of preserving their histories, let’s hear it for the University of Chicago.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Noun
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For a storyteller whose works revolve around complicated or slippery romances, life-altering revelations, and fateful everyday encounters, the brutality of the mafia and New York City street vigilantes feels far removed from her own.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
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It’s divided into five romances.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Folktales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folktales. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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