1
as in stories
a rumor or report of a personal or sensational nature
don't believe the tales you hear about our neighbor's kid
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in anecdotes
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in lies
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in novellas
a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel
the oft-told tale of Sleeping Beauty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tales
Daily tales of war and violence around the world made one want to clench one’s fists, grit one’s teeth, and to shout out in a paean of outraged hysteria.
—
Zehra Jumabhoy,
Artforum,
25 June 2026
Hopefully, these three will be among the final cautionary tales of poor draft decisions.
—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
Ripa and Steps co-director Alyce Tzue talked Annecy through the artistic vision of adapting one of the most epic tales of all time.
—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
23 June 2026
Discovery tales → Scientists found new clues inside the remains of a 5,300-year-old mummy.
—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
The Warriors is one of the most famous modern New York City tales.
—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
23 June 2026
Yet Schwartz’s books were nothing more than cautionary tales and retellings of old urban legends written in a way for a young brain to digest and get excited about—god forbid kids like a good story!
—
Spin Team,
SPIN,
22 June 2026
Oh, God, well, as kids we were raised with these ancient tales called the Mabinogion.
—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
21 June 2026
The child of alcoholics, Dreesen often referenced his rough-and-tumble upbringing in his comedy sets, telling tales of little Tommy shining shoes in the taverns of the South Side to feed his siblings.
—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Zehra Jumabhoy,
Artforum,
25 June 2026
Hopefully, these three will be among the final cautionary tales of poor draft decisions.
—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
Ripa and Steps co-director Alyce Tzue talked Annecy through the artistic vision of adapting one of the most epic tales of all time.
—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
23 June 2026
Discovery tales → Scientists found new clues inside the remains of a 5,300-year-old mummy.
—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
The Warriors is one of the most famous modern New York City tales.
—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
23 June 2026
Yet Schwartz’s books were nothing more than cautionary tales and retellings of old urban legends written in a way for a young brain to digest and get excited about—god forbid kids like a good story!
—
Spin Team,
SPIN,
22 June 2026
Oh, God, well, as kids we were raised with these ancient tales called the Mabinogion.
—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
21 June 2026
The child of alcoholics, Dreesen often referenced his rough-and-tumble upbringing in his comedy sets, telling tales of little Tommy shining shoes in the taverns of the South Side to feed his siblings.
—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tales
Noun
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As a coastal town shaped by generations of immigrants, Half Moon Bay now has a new art display that serves as a reminder of the people and stories that continue to define the community.
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The board was also expected to vote Friday on a new social studies curriculum that links Bible stories with American history.
Noun
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What makes this town’s culinary history so unique lies within its deep ties to the university.
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Prosecutors argued Murdaugh killed his wife and son to distract from his crumbling legal and financial world as years of thefts and lies were closing in on him.
Noun
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These invasion fictions took a range of forms, from short stories and pamphlets to novellas and full-length novels, and proliferated especially in the late-Victorian and Edwardian period leading up to World War I, which brought the subgenre’s brief flourishing to an end.
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This pair of novellas is about a middle-aged woman, the heroine’s sister, who comes to Tokyo intent on obtaining breast implants and a protagonist contemplating artificial insemination in a culture that doubts the procedure’s morality.
Noun
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Prosecutors reopen case Pino was initially charged in August 2026 with three counts of careless boating, a minor misdemeanor carrying a minimum sentence of 60 days in county jail.
-
Sergio Isaac Insunza Sanchez faces counts of second degree murder and armed criminal action.
Noun
-
The whispers about the 41-year-old turned louder.
-
The yin and yang found in 21 Savage’s menacing whispers over the bass and drums, derivative of Tay Keith’s style, and his stark threats over Metro Boomin’s familiar keys create atmospheric success.
Noun
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If the current scores in both ongoing games hold, Cape Verde will bump up to 3 points if this match ends in a draw, and will proceed to knockouts as second place in the Group H standings.
-
Now an Illinois state park, the site includes an excellent archaeological museum, the reconstruction of an ancient astronomical observatory called Woodhenge and scores of earthen mounds.
Noun
-
Although such tallies are imperfect, there is legitimate concern that this summer could be particularly lethal.
-
The tallies for the goals were made based on the players’ clubs when the official squad announcements were made.
Cite this Entry
“Tales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tales. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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