legends

plural of legend
1
as in tables
an explanatory list of the symbols on a map or chart the legend indicated that a large circle represented a major city, while a small circle stood for a small town

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2
as in captions
an explanation or description accompanying a pictorial illustration the legend in the science textbook indicated that the accompanying picture had been enlarged by 1000%

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3
as in myths
a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature some ancient civilizations had legends about spirits that inhabited trees and rocks

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4
as in mythologies
the body of customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings associated with a people, thing, or place that story of how the world came to be has long been part of Native American legend

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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 legends 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 Bob Odenkirk and David Cross Climb Machu Picchu not only follows the comedy legends on their hike in Peru, but also gives insight into their friendship, experiences in show business and current stages in life. Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026 The collection spans centuries of storytelling in multiple genres, from migratory fairytales with kings and princesses to legends of ghosts and the Devil to fables with talking animals. Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026 Both aging legends, however, would achieve comebacks on their own terms. Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026 The city’s Yaletown district has been blanketed with ‘Beautiful Game’ murals along walls and patios, showing the game’s most iconic moments from soccer stars legends like Lionel Messi, Pelé, and Canada’s Alphonso Davies. Paula Newton, CNN Money, 6 June 2026 The Spurs legends — David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Bruce Bowen and more — were there, too. Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026 There are a number of myths and legends surrounding Wilimowski, both good and bad, that are hard to verify or disprove. Tim Spiers, New York Times, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legends
Noun
  • Restaurant tables spill out onto the private jetty, which doubles as a beach club complete with activities like water skiing (this was the European birthplace of the sport, after all).
    Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026
  • Beyond these, there is something from nearly every chapter of Soft-Geometry’s practice, including tables, lamps, chairs, and mirrors.
    Aditi Sharma, Architectural Digest, 13 June 2026
Noun
  • The captions assert his dominance.
    Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 9 June 2026
  • Her strict economy, honed by her early years of writing and endlessly revising (under the exacting eye of Allene Talmey) tight captions for Vogue, thrills the editor in me.
    Zinzi Clemmons, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • Still, in our age of political cynicism, sports and literature may be the last two places in our culture in which the American myths feel truthful.
    Sam Evan Sussman, Vogue, 10 June 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • America has its own mythologies of masculine desire, and many of them are worse.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
  • His works are also challenging to date precisely, due in part to his displacement and transpacific migration, and the Spencer show reflects this by abandoning a chronological framework in favor of a thematic exploration of his own mythologies.
    Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Newman took over the keys as the pair swapped vocals, his voice as tender and warm as ever.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 10 June 2026
  • Modern end-to-end encryption ensures that no third party can access the keys needed for real-time data streams in transit.
    Leonard Lim, Fortune, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • In Dallas, a recent $120-million tech upgrade will give local police body cameras capable of real-time translations, helping law enforcement communicate with international visitors soon to descend on the region.
    Jake Offenhartz, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
  • The new rules will also mandate translations at public conferences, and raise standards for how the language is taught in schools.
    Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • The novel has a freewheeling spirit that recalls Italo Calvino’s space fables in Cosmicomics.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
  • The collection spans centuries of storytelling in multiple genres, from migratory fairytales with kings and princesses to legends of ghosts and the Devil to fables with talking animals.
    Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
Noun
  • The kallikantzaroi are a group of blind, black goblins who live underground during most of the year sawing at the world tree – a motif throughout various folklores that connects the heavens to the Earth.
    Carlie Procell, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Legends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legends. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.

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