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 Know your facts and myths about nutrition and eating disorders. Miranda Roberts, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026 There are also myths about how to manage customer experiences designed to thrill customers. Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Earlier this year, it was reported that Pixar had a new original movie, Ono Ghost Market, in the works based on Asian myths about supernatural bazaars where the living and dead interact. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026 Prostate cancer myths keep too many men from getting screened at the moment early detection matters most. Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026 Prostate cancer myths are keeping men out of screening rooms at exactly the wrong time. Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 10 Aug. 2026 Like all myths, that of Medusa plays upon the riddle of origins. Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026 The statues of Polyphemus, Scylla and Charybdis, and other figures from The Odyssey discovered in Tiberius’s villa attest to the area’s millennia-long ties to myths and legends. Laura Itzkowitz, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Aug. 2026 During their 40-minute conversation, McConaughey and Fauci discussed COVID-19 myths and vaccines. Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for myths
Noun
  • Tyler Clouse / Getty Images Earlier, Twins players and team legends also toured the movie site with several participating in father-son catches.
    Dan Hayes, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Stick to Football is hosted by footballing legends Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott, Ian Wright and Roy Keane, and sees the group welcome guests to discuss all manner of football matters.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Chan Gin Kai, founder and CEO of Silver Media Group, said Asia holds some of the richest histories, cultures and mythologies in the world, but many of these stories remain little known outside their home countries.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026
  • But the filmmaker proves more interested in interrogating that ethos than recreating it, and few horror mythologies are better suited to exploring betrayal and regret than one built around the refusal to let the dead remain dead.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 July 2026
Noun
  • Published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, 95 people—Millennial and Gen Z men and women, all of whom had a history of using Instagram for an average of eight years—underwent a virtual reality experience called body illusions.
    Nicole Karlis, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But Zinn’s illusions in the war, challenged already by lefties in the ranks and by seeing his friends killed, were permanently put to rest due to the bombing of Royan.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Likewise, Schoenbrun specializes in zeitgeisty fables about 21st century isolation.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Explore the Wild West from the back of a rickety wagon as characters share famed fables about Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox, Pecos Bill, John Henry and Hekeke.
    Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 10 July 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
  • But what happens when a king’s delusions have real consequences?
    Christopher Barnard, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Partway through the season, Straczynski noticed O’Hare developing symptoms of psychosis, including paranoid delusions.
    JP Mangalindan, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The backstory L’Auberge Carmel, a Relais & Châteaux property, was built in 1929 as a commission for Allen Knight, an adventurer and author, as a way to bring together the artistic spirit of Carmel-by-the-Sea and European traditions.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
  • For some Muslim intellectuals and travelers, Japan’s modernization and its victory over Russia was proof that Asian nations need not be subservient to Europe or abandon their own cultural traditions.
    Mimi Hanaoka, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • This would, of course, require extensive testing with native speakers and guaranteed human intervention when errors could potentially harm someone.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Arday admitted making citation errors and apologized, but denied lying.
    Rupert Neate, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026

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“Myths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/myths. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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