1
as in story
a rumor or report of a personal or sensational nature
don't believe the tales you hear about our neighbor's kid
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2
as in anecdote
a brief account of something interesting that happened especially to one personally
asked Dad to tell once again the tale of how, as a kid, he broke his arm jumping out of a tree
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3
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
told tall tales in an attempt to impress me with her supposedly upper-crust background
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in novella
a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel
the oft-told tale of Sleeping Beauty
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tale
The presentation is both a celebration of the Sonoran Desert and a cautionary tale about humanity's impact on it, said Matthew Shaw, co-founder of ScanLAB Projects.
—
Brittney Melton, NPR, 24 Apr. 2026
Turmoil at the Texas data center company Fermi is a cautionary tale about what happens when a startup jumps too quickly into the AI development boom.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026
For some, the implications of duplicity and obscured identity in the line could well apply to its author—and thereby hangs a tale.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Whether this initiative eventually becomes a model for others to replicate, or a cautionary tale, may depend on how successfully the government can manage the volume of applications, and the political storm building around it.
—Inaya Folarin Iman, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tale
Brittney Melton, NPR, 24 Apr. 2026
Turmoil at the Texas data center company Fermi is a cautionary tale about what happens when a startup jumps too quickly into the AI development boom.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026
For some, the implications of duplicity and obscured identity in the line could well apply to its author—and thereby hangs a tale.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Whether this initiative eventually becomes a model for others to replicate, or a cautionary tale, may depend on how successfully the government can manage the volume of applications, and the political storm building around it.
—Inaya Folarin Iman, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tale
Noun
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Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
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Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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More than half of that pile lies, waiting, in Evans’ coffers.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
16 Apr. 2026
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Trump has described Haitian migrants as a threat to the American way of life, including spreading a racist and unfounded lie that Haitians were eating household pets in Springfield, Ohio.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The opera, and the novella it is based on, were written in French.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
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The chiller is adapted from Elizabeth Engstrom’s cult 1980s novella of the same name.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
His pitch count goes up, runners get on base, and the Mets have no choice but to bring in another arm.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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The last two counts are to be served concurrently to each other but consecutive to the first.—
Courier-News,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Hamilton described his version as landing somewhere between Senegalese and Ghanaian, cooked in a slurry of roasted red peppers, tomatoes and onions, delicately spiced and with a whisper of smoke.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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The pre- and postnatal massages at Red Moon Wellness in Park Slope are a staple in the Brooklyn-mom whisper network.—
The Editors,
Curbed,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That Niall finds Ruben so alluring is natural to Gadd, who believes the notion of a valiant male figure has been bred into everyone via fables and fairy tales.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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On Friday, April 10, when those winged sprites took to the War Memorial Opera House stage for a seven-performance run, the whole tartan-and-gossamer fable felt more alive than ever.—
Rachel Howard,
San Francisco Chronicle,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Arsenal have kept a leading tally of 15 clean sheets in this campaign.—
Holly Shand,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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The precise vote tally was not announced after the brief virtual meeting but will be released in an SEC filing later today or Friday.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Thanks for playing — and share your scores in the comments!—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
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Just as the story mines humor from the collision of old-fashioned ways with a modern frankness, Paul’s score combines the appeal of jaunty golden-age sounds with a freshness that feels present day.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tale. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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