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
Such tales clearly advise against judging people on material criteria, or assuming value based on markers of religion, class and political authority.
—
Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
Someday, Victor Vodnik can regale his three young daughters, Ariel, Rose, and Viviana, with tales about his battles with Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
Cue Weaver’s voiceover about tales of a Mandalorian and a child.
—ArsTechnica, 16 Apr. 2026
Amid social turmoil, three intertwining tales of disillusioned misfits collide under the machinations of an all-seeing institution.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Unfortunately, these supernatural tales drop into the story as conveniences rather than as spiritual experiences.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
And while some stars managed to laugh them off, others became cautionary tales of what can happen when the cameras never stop rolling.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
Hers is a dark, dark mind that weaves deceptively simple tales into terrifying psychological page turners like The Housemaid.
—E.l. James, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
Among gravesites and crooked slabs, this medieval tapestry of bell towers, vaulted corridors, and sacred frescoes whispered tales of faith and persecution.
—Marlise Kast-Myers, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
Someday, Victor Vodnik can regale his three young daughters, Ariel, Rose, and Viviana, with tales about his battles with Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
Cue Weaver’s voiceover about tales of a Mandalorian and a child.
—ArsTechnica, 16 Apr. 2026
Amid social turmoil, three intertwining tales of disillusioned misfits collide under the machinations of an all-seeing institution.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Unfortunately, these supernatural tales drop into the story as conveniences rather than as spiritual experiences.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
And while some stars managed to laugh them off, others became cautionary tales of what can happen when the cameras never stop rolling.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
Hers is a dark, dark mind that weaves deceptively simple tales into terrifying psychological page turners like The Housemaid.
—E.l. James, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
Among gravesites and crooked slabs, this medieval tapestry of bell towers, vaulted corridors, and sacred frescoes whispered tales of faith and persecution.
—Marlise Kast-Myers, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tales
Noun
-
Inside the media center, rows of workstations equipped with laptops and charging points allow reporters to file stories.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Filmmakers have used the Civil War as a setting for many decades now, inspiring stories of epic military battles, romantic melodramas, and even satires, from sweeping Best Picture winners like Gone With the Wind (1939) to revisionist Westerns like Django Unchained (2012).—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The film centers on two fraudulent paranormal investigators who are forced to face real ghosts — and the lies underpinning their business.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
-
More than half of that pile lies, waiting, in Evans’ coffers.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
House of the Dragon premieres its third season this summer ahead of a fourth and likely final season in 2028, while A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on Martin's Tales of Dunk & Egg novellas, is in production on season 2 for release in 2027.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Stern has also published four collections of stories, four novellas, and two children’s books, all of them steeped in Jewish folklore.—
Cathleen Schine,
The New York Review of Books,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
He was taken into custody and transported to Norwalk police headquarters, where he was charged with two counts of criminal attempt at assault on a police officer, two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment and first-degree threatening.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The House Ethics Committee announced late last month that its adjudicatory subcommittee found Cherfilus-McCormick committed 25 ethics violations, out of 27 counts levied against her.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The piece contends that while rumors circulated among political gossips and online, these remained unsubstantiated whispers that did not meet journalism’s evidentiary threshold for publication.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Garth, who poses as a Guardian and shares Mayday information with her in hushed hallway whispers.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Philo recovered to finish 18-of-24 for 166 yards and two scores.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Mariam explained that she’d been admitted to Bronx Science through a program called Discovery, for students from disadvantaged backgrounds whose test scores fell just below the school’s cutoff line.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Jake McGuirk compiled four tallies and four assists as Norwell doubled up Westford Academy 14-7.—
Brian Roach,
Boston Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The sluggish pace of the count mirrored Peru’s 2021 presidential election, a contest where final tallies weren't completed until five days after the polls closed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tales. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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