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
Created by renowned mecha designer Mamoru Nagano, The Five Star Stories is an immense tale spanning billions of years and makes Frank Herbert’s Dune seem like a quaint bedtime story.
—
Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
All the moms at the center of this tale—Milly, Jillian, Dawn, and Heather—are dissatisfied in their own way and similarly uniquely desperate.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 4 July 2025
The original Jurassic Park already provided plenty of material about science running amok, and the first Jurassic World was a cautionary tale about capitalism falling prey to its worst instincts.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 4 July 2025
Swapping Conrad’s tale about colonialism in the Congo for the political intricacies of Vietnam permitted Coppola to foolishly compare his film shoot to actual warfare.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
All the moms at the center of this tale—Milly, Jillian, Dawn, and Heather—are dissatisfied in their own way and similarly uniquely desperate.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 4 July 2025
The original Jurassic Park already provided plenty of material about science running amok, and the first Jurassic World was a cautionary tale about capitalism falling prey to its worst instincts.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 4 July 2025
Swapping Conrad’s tale about colonialism in the Congo for the political intricacies of Vietnam permitted Coppola to foolishly compare his film shoot to actual warfare.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tale
Noun
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Editor's note: This story is part of a series tracking the experiences of four graduating seniors at four different Michigan universities.—
Meg Vandermark,
Freep.com,
5 July 2025
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This story originally appeared on Vox and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration.—
Christine Peterson,
Wired News,
5 July 2025
Noun
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Of course, as with everything involved in this sextortion scam, that’s a lie.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
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Newsom is seeking $787 million — the same amount that Fox News paid to settle a defamation suit with Dominion Voting Systems, a company that claimed the network repeatedly aired false allegations about its voting machines to boost Trump’s lies that the 2020 election was rigged.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
27 June 2025
Noun
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The novella takes place over Christmas night, contained to the equivalent of a one-act play in the character Marie’s bleak apartment.—
Diana Arterian
June 20,
Literary Hub,
20 June 2025
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It’s built backward, as is the Stephen King novella on which it’s based.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
Noun
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Dugan, 66, faces two federal counts, which together carry a maximum of six years in prison and a $350,000 fine if convicted.—
John Diedrich,
jsonline.com,
7 July 2025
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During natural disasters like the earthquakes in Turkey or the flooding in Valencia, every minute counts.—
Michael Harrell,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Noun
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On a sunlit slope above the Aegean, the ruins of an old Greek estate whisper stories of power, legacy, and familial pride.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
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What was once spoken only in whispers, if at all, by our mothers and grandmothers, is now trending on TikTok.—
Time,
Time,
26 June 2025
Noun
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As funny as its title suggests, Clam Down transcends its conceit to create a personal fable of transformation, family lore, natural history, and adaptation.—
Literary Hub
June 2,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2025
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Highlights this week include four of the greatest R&B divas to ever do it on one stage at Barclays Center, Rena Butler’s take on Aesop’s classic fable with Parsons Dance at The Joyce and a must-see immersive art exhibit in Chelsea celebrating Rolling Stone magazine.—
Karu F. Daniels,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2025
Noun
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The live-action remake added $19.4 million in its third weekend of release, bringing its North American tally to $200.5 million.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
29 June 2025
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The tally, 51-49, came after a tumultuous session with Vice President JD Vance on hand if needed to break the tie.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 June 2025
Noun
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Every Cleveland pitcher must feel the weight of 1,000 woolly mammoths when attempting to keep the score close.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
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Its culinary scene score was also lower than Indy's, at 1.6.—
Jenny Porter Tilley,
IndyStar,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tale. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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