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
So begins a rollicking tale of superstition, a family curse and second chances.
—
Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
As is often the case with bifurcated tales unfolding between two distinct planes of existence, the characters in the Realm of the Spooks, also have their matching counterparts in Frankelda’s reality.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
The four identical charts tell the tale.
—Carter Braxton Worth, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
This tale of a plausible viral apocalypse makes the case that true horrors can lurk just outside our view — and possibly within us all.
—Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
As is often the case with bifurcated tales unfolding between two distinct planes of existence, the characters in the Realm of the Spooks, also have their matching counterparts in Frankelda’s reality.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
The four identical charts tell the tale.
—Carter Braxton Worth, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
This tale of a plausible viral apocalypse makes the case that true horrors can lurk just outside our view — and possibly within us all.
—Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tale
Noun
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The real story of the Elizabethan succession was altogether darker and more turbulent than Camden’s fiction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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This is the web version of Fortune Tech, a daily newsletter breaking down the biggest players and stories shaping the future.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The lie that began James’s reign would have far-reaching consequences.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Directly underneath lies an open-air beach club with fold-down platforms that open to create roughly 645 square feet of space suspended above the water.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The novella is a haunted house, dual point of view ride where the metaphors from the top down are consistently delivered.—
Amber McBride,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
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Edgerton stars as an itinerant worker in the early 1900s Pacific Northwest in the adaptation of the Denis Johnson novella, which premiered at Sundance.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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After jurors deliberated for more than seven days, the third count of rape resulted in a hung jury.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Juventus did not make this count but the likes of Yamal, Rashford, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong could pose problems.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Just a shot of the spirit was enough to lend a whisper of warm, caramel-like flavor that plays nicely with the warm baking spices and molasses.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Nov. 2025
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Jane uses her wit to survive under Henry VIII’s reign, an era where one wrong move, including the faintest whisper of gossip, may be the end of you.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Will there be fables about musical sand dunes on Mars?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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There’s a whole other movie happening within Good Fortune‘s attempt to Aesop-fable its way to some moral about a modest life being a more fulfilling one even if you’re forced to live in your car.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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SiriusXM’s Hits 1, which reports to the Pop Airplay tally, has played the song more than 1,100 times since June.—
Gary Trust,
Billboard,
31 Oct. 2025
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The goal came two minutes after an Alex Vlasic tally and got Chicago within 5-3.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In the six years since its debut, the show has become an internet sensation, with viewers online embracing the musical's campy humor, jaw-dropping stage illusions and sing-along score, with bootlegs of the production going viral on TikTok and YouTube.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
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State scores, however, have been slowly improving since 2021.—
Caroline Beck,
IndyStar,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tale. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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