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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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
5 July 2025
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Douglas also shared some stories from Cuckoo’s Nest, including ones about Nicholson.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
5 July 2025
Noun
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Basing a political movement on lies and conspiracy theories is inevitably going to come back to haunt you.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
14 July 2025
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The misinformation, and sometimes blatant lies, being spread around the country could result in someone stepping into a federal operation and suddenly finding themselves face-to-face with a killer who has nothing to lose.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
Noun
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These are the stories that make up Room on the Sea, a trio of novellas from the Call Me by Your Name author, André Aciman.—
airmail.news,
airmail.news,
5 July 2025
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Originally assigned to George Lucas and working from a script by John Milius, the project was loosely based on Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness.—
Armond White,
National Review,
4 July 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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Like all great fables, Brown’s story is deceptively simple.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
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Image Her necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings feature realistically wrought fauna — the fables’ foxes, monkeys, crows, cats and so on.—
Chantel Tattoli,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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So far, the tally of trade deals struck by Trump stands at two -- one with the United Kingdom and one with Vietnam.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
13 July 2025
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Many beloved bands and singers who have either retired or passed away continue to make a home on the tally, thanks to popular compilations or, in some select cases, a proper full-length that simply won't go away.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
13 July 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 18 Jul. 2025.
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