tale

noun

1
a
: a usually imaginative narrative of an event : story
b
: an intentionally untrue report : falsehood
always preferred the tale to the truthSir Winston Churchill
2
a
: a series of events or facts told or presented : account
b(1)
: a report of a private or confidential matter
dead men tell no tales
(2)
: a libelous report or piece of gossip
3
a
b
: total
4
obsolete : discourse, talk

Examples of tale in a Sentence

The movie is a stirring tale of courage. We listened to his familiar tale of woe as he talked again about the failure of his marriage. He told us thrilling tales about his adventures as a pilot in the war. Are you telling tales again? Or is that the truth?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Why is the narrator telling this tale now? Sam Lipsyte, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025 But his film career began in earnest with 2020's Scare Me, a stylish comedy about writers regaling each story with spooky tales in an isolated cabin during a power outage. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025 Make a pit stop in SoHo at The Dominick where a vintage phone booth in the lobby awaits, outfitted with a Haunted Hotline that tells chilling tales inspired by NYC. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025 Barry Humphries, a longtime friend of Birley’s, did his Dame Edna schtick on both nights, regaling the audience with tales of a love affair with his pal. Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tale

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English talu; akin to Old Norse tala talk

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of tale was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tale. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

tale

noun
1
: something told
a tale of woe
2
: a story about an imaginary event
a fairy tale
3
: a false story : lie
4
: a piece of harmful gossip
spread tales about us

More from Merriam-Webster on tale

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