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
Phoenix is a cautionary tale for overspenders during this new era of the NBA following the 2023 collective bargaining agreement, which increased penalties for repeat offenders and teams greatly exceeding the tax threshold.
—
Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 22 June 2025
Intel’s once dominant position in the semiconductor industry has eroded into a cautionary tale.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
That’s probably a result of living in an ever more individualized, ever less traditional, and ever more expensive society—and of having studied the cautionary tales of their elders.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 June 2025
There’s a reason people keep returning to the tale of Snow White and her friends.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 22 June 2025
Intel’s once dominant position in the semiconductor industry has eroded into a cautionary tale.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
That’s probably a result of living in an ever more individualized, ever less traditional, and ever more expensive society—and of having studied the cautionary tales of their elders.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 June 2025
There’s a reason people keep returning to the tale of Snow White and her friends.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tale
Noun
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However, Walters' incredible career is only part of her story.—
Sean Keane,
ABC News,
23 June 2025
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In the box office smash, the talented singer and actress portrays Elphaba, the green witch from the famed Wizard of Oz story.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Noun
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Stock photo: A couple lie inside of a campervan side by side.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
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The lie corporate America has told for too long is that culture is soft.—
Greg Dolan,
Forbes.com,
20 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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The indictment, announced earlier this month, accuses McIver of three counts: two felonies for assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers—each carrying up to eight years in prison—and a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of one year.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 June 2025
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The rapper has pleaded not guilty to the five counts against him.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
25 June 2025
Noun
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Every new headline—whether a cease-fire whisper or another drone strike—moves Brent and insurance quotes long before drilling rigs or pipelines can respond.—
Guney Yildiz,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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Jane spoke barely above a whisper to an attentive jury throughout her afternoon testimony.—
Larry Neumeister,
Chicago Tribune,
5 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 United States is home to the most millionaires of any country, with a tally of 23.8 million in 2024, according to a new report by UBS.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
19 June 2025
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Mariah Carey’s Career Smashes Throughout her career, Carey has scored only a few top 10 wins on both of these tallies — but that’s largely because they were introduced long after many of her biggest smashes had their heyday.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Noun
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The first half, directed by Sam Bailey, shapes into a heist procedural, albeit one where the victims are too generic for the scores to be all that satisfying.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
25 June 2025
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Here are the inspection scores and violations for restaurants within the city limits of Arlington for June 8th - June 21st, 2025 A score of 100 is a perfect score and 70 is considered to be extremely poor.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tale. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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