as in allegories
a story intended to teach a basic truth or moral about life
the parable in which the repentant sinner is compared to the returning prodigal son who is welcomed home
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of parables
Apparently all mothers, even surrogate mothers, were alike, but at least Adele no longer had to fear monitory parables from her real mother.
—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
On Sundays, O’Neal’s father preached hope from the pulpit, stories of his family intertwined with morals and truths and parables.
—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Faustian parables unlock more interesting connotations when considered not in terms of politics, but of art.
—
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
What kind of message would prime Jeezy have presented without the pyrex parables in tow?
—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
18 Dec. 2025
The wordplay is as colorful as the sonics are sedate, tag-team player parables sailing over production seeking a slippery middle ground between East and West Coast throwback jams.
—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
2 Dec. 2025
The musical features a ragtag group who help Jesus tell various parables.
—
Mo Rocca,
CBS News,
16 Nov. 2025
Then there’s this weird other, like Mae got really into parables.
—
William Earl,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
The production is filled with humor, heartstring-tugging moments and real-life experiences that double as powerful parables.
—
Marcus K. Dowling,
Nashville Tennessean,
19 Aug. 2025
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
On Sundays, O’Neal’s father preached hope from the pulpit, stories of his family intertwined with morals and truths and parables.
—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Faustian parables unlock more interesting connotations when considered not in terms of politics, but of art.
—
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
What kind of message would prime Jeezy have presented without the pyrex parables in tow?
—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
18 Dec. 2025
The wordplay is as colorful as the sonics are sedate, tag-team player parables sailing over production seeking a slippery middle ground between East and West Coast throwback jams.
—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
2 Dec. 2025
The musical features a ragtag group who help Jesus tell various parables.
—
Mo Rocca,
CBS News,
16 Nov. 2025
Then there’s this weird other, like Mae got really into parables.
—
William Earl,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
The production is filled with humor, heartstring-tugging moments and real-life experiences that double as powerful parables.
—
Marcus K. Dowling,
Nashville Tennessean,
19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parables
Noun
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There are allegories that can be read about fear of the unknown breeding cruelty and exploitation, but Disclosure Day is first and foremost a propulsive yarn with thematic roots in hope, truth, empathy and perhaps even spirituality.
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Sci-fi stories about alien invasions have often functioned as political allegories for anxieties around empire and immigration, Lechuga says.
Noun
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The novel has a freewheeling spirit that recalls Italo Calvino’s space fables in Cosmicomics.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Parables.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parables. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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