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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tales
The three longtime friends, who live in adjoining apartments in South London, are about to release one of the year’s most gorgeous full-length debuts with Role Model Hermit (out July 3), a marvel of moody atmospherics, taut rhythms, and strange tales.
—
Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 18 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
In a 1996 analysis of the results, historian Carmel Quinlan observed that the tales collected revealed something strange about the stories people told.
—Amelia Soth, JSTOR Daily, 18 June 2026
Rome grew up on tales of the Parkway Ballroom, where jazz legends like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie performed.
—Ximena N. Beltran Quan Kiu, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 June 2026
Long ago, Levi and Vega, children of the fearsome captain of the Sea Dragon, grow up on tales of daring seafaring exploits, but there are stories they haven't been told — stories about witches, mermaids and magical maps.
—Sarah Kate Ellis, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
Once upon a time, San Diego’s thirsty young male population was regaled with tales of eccentric King Snedley, a dedicated (and completely fictional) brewmaster from the realm of Hopland.
—Bill Swank, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2026
The first book was published the same year as Serial debuted, kicking off our burgeoning obsession with true crime and our tendency to romanticize the male perpetrators while often homogenizing their overwhelmingly female victims into cautionary tales.
—Scarlett Harris, Time, 11 June 2026
Set in Mexico in the late 1800s, the story centers on Francisca, a gifted writer of dark tales and fantastical characters.
—Carole Horst, Variety, 11 June 2026
Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 18 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
In a 1996 analysis of the results, historian Carmel Quinlan observed that the tales collected revealed something strange about the stories people told.
—Amelia Soth, JSTOR Daily, 18 June 2026
Rome grew up on tales of the Parkway Ballroom, where jazz legends like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie performed.
—Ximena N. Beltran Quan Kiu, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 June 2026
Long ago, Levi and Vega, children of the fearsome captain of the Sea Dragon, grow up on tales of daring seafaring exploits, but there are stories they haven't been told — stories about witches, mermaids and magical maps.
—Sarah Kate Ellis, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
Once upon a time, San Diego’s thirsty young male population was regaled with tales of eccentric King Snedley, a dedicated (and completely fictional) brewmaster from the realm of Hopland.
—Bill Swank, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2026
The first book was published the same year as Serial debuted, kicking off our burgeoning obsession with true crime and our tendency to romanticize the male perpetrators while often homogenizing their overwhelmingly female victims into cautionary tales.
—Scarlett Harris, Time, 11 June 2026
Set in Mexico in the late 1800s, the story centers on Francisca, a gifted writer of dark tales and fantastical characters.
—Carole Horst, Variety, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tales
Noun
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Along the way, the system will also share local stories tied to each place.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
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This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight.—
Rafaela Jinich,
The Atlantic,
20 June 2026
Noun
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What makes this town’s culinary history so unique lies within its deep ties to the university.—
Carinne Geil Botta,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
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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.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
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.—
Ivan Kreilkamp,
JSTOR Daily,
10 June 2026
-
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.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
23 June 2026
-
Sergio Isaac Insunza Sanchez faces counts of second degree murder and armed criminal action.—
Alexa Newsom,
Kansas City Star,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
The whispers about the 41-year-old turned louder.—
Russell Lewis,
NPR,
23 June 2026
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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.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
20 June 2026
Noun
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Democrats in the General Assembly on Saturday blocked scores of bills that would allow Georgia voters to raise sales taxes to lower property taxes for homeowners.—
David Wickert,
AJC.com,
20 June 2026
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The Boroughs’ cancellation is indeed one of the strangest Netflix axings in quite a while, between its high review scores backed by a weeks-long spot in its top 10.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
The single debuts within the top 10 on multiple airplay tallies.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
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The Tao people are one of Taiwan’s smaller indigenous groups, with a population of just 5,120, according to government tallies.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tales. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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