myths

plural of myth
1
as in legends
a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature according to an ancient Greek myth, humans acquired fire from Prometheus, a Titan who had stolen it from heaven

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2
as in mythologies
the body of customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings associated with a people, thing, or place over the years Davy Crockett evolved from an actual person to one of the great figures of American myth

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

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 myths The Delphic oracle was not a myth Amid the myths and fiction of ancient Greece, the Delphic oracle was very much a historical fact. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026 So immigration stories get softened over time, with trauma turning into adventure and hard facts blurred into entertaining myths. — Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 Nalla Roberts has been fascinated with tales like this for years, growing obsessed with Greek myths in her childhood. — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026 After decades of perspective-shifting literary retellings like Wide Sargasso Sea and The Mists of Avalon and the current trend of feminist Greek myths, Cathy is an enigma begging for some traumatic backstory to staple her flaws together. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026 Some myths about private capital persist for small-business owners, especially around what an investment actually means for a company. — Frank Williamson, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 Unlearning myths about suicide One of the most common myths preventing people from starting conversations about suicide is that talking about it will only make the person struggling at greater risk for taking their life, experts said. — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026 The origin story from Johnny & Kay’s restaurant Like a lot of iconic dishes, steak de Burgo comes with competing creation myths. — Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 22 Sep. 2026 But these myths, particularly in Zallman Proctor’s relaxed, often funny translation, are unpretentiously told. — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for myths
Noun
  • Trick Daddy and Trina are bringing Miami vibes to Grand Theft Auto VI, as the rap legends have been unveiled as hosts of one of the forthcoming title’s in-game radio stations.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Looking back on the legends she’s worked with and known, from Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan to Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson, Crow was overcome by emotion.
    — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • What impact did her decision to (arguably) curve Drake’s kiss attempt when presenting her the award have on both of their mythologies?
    — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Both of these tales were derived from the folk legends and mythologies involving witches and ghosts that were still prevalent along the Hudson Valley.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The Hering and Wundt illusions are examples of how straight lines can appear curved if intersecting lines cross them at a certain angle.
    — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026
  • In each case, however, modern physics has shown these assumptions to be illusions.
    — Adam Frank, NPR, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Few eras of Greek history compare to the ancient times that the country has become so synonymous with—the cinematic fables of Odysseus, comic-book lore of Leonidas, and philosophic creeds of Socrates are ever-present in pop culture.
    — Shannon McMahon, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Abstract Deer Deer are the center of countless fairytales, fables, and general folklore.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 Aug. 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.
    — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2022
Noun
  • The company has also been sued by the parents of kids who took their own lives, alleging that ChatGPT encouraged suicide and harmful delusions.
    — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The Mayo Clinic defines the mental health condition as typically marked by hallucinations, delusions, depression, and mania.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The rich collections do a great job of honoring visual traditions and explaining their connections to real people and real places.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2026
  • But the company is trying to balance those new strategies with its existing traditions.
    — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • During the ship’s christening, reservations to the specialty dining restaurants were hard to come by due to technical issues and scheduling errors, which will hopefully be ironed out when the next group sets sail.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The researchers conducted experiments that produced distinct brainwave patterns depending on whether there was a reward prediction error, a state prediction error, or both errors simultaneously.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Myths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/myths. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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