as in errors
a false idea or belief
the belief that going outside with wet hair will cause you to catch cold is just an old wives' tale
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for old wives' tales
Noun
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The Post last year reported that an early version of directory was rife with errors, including misidentifying which health care providers were covered by which health care plans.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 May 2026 -
Casey Dart hit a leadoff single for Norton in the fifth, and a rare pair of errors helped the Lancers plate two with nobody out.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Academias, an Autograph Collection hotel, describes itself as a contemporary interpretation of Plato’s Academy, blending the old and the new, international yet dutifully steeped in its local myths—a mission that explains its Plato Lounge Bar as well as its Japanese-fusion gastrobar.—
Sarah Manguso,
Travel + Leisure,
2 May 2026
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If bitten by a rattlesnake, victims should stay calm, limit movement, call 911 and seek emergency medical attention, avoiding myths such as sucking out the venom or applying ice.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Bukele shook off his delusions of being the emperor of social media and abandoned his bullying tactics in the face of the biggest bully.—
Óscar Martínez,
The Dial,
30 Apr. 2026
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Most of the suits allege that extensive use of the technology has inflicted a range of harms on children and adults alike, fostering delusions and despair for some and leading others to death by suicide and even murder-suicide.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The point was to conform language to lies, to narrow the range of thought, to obscure the truth, and, over time, to get people to believe in illusions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
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Archaeologists analyze the ancient painters’ creative use of the cave’s spatial definition to tell stories and create illusions of motion.—
Eric Kohn,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Baseball has always been a sport that believes in the occult — in juju and curses and superstitions.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
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Entertain your superstitions accordingly.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Old wives' tales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/old%20wives%27%20tales. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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