spin a tale

idiom

: to make up a story
She spun a tale about her car breaking down to explain why she was late.

Examples of spin a tale in a Sentence

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.
The party’s leaders spin a tale of a Germany under siege by Muslim migrants who threaten its cohesion and culture, abetted by feckless leaders in Berlin. Thorsten Benner, Foreign Affairs, 26 Sep. 2016 Their mother, Cécile de Brunhoff, a pianist and music teacher, began to spin a tale about an orphaned baby elephant who flees the jungle and runs to Paris, which is conveniently located nearby. Penelope Green, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024 Now, conspiracy theorists have jumped on the farm shop video of Kate and William to spin a tale that the British monarchy is engaging in a massive psyop operation to cover up something very sinister about the future queen. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024 From arboretums with rare trees to mystical Druid rock formations with names like the Witch's Kitchen and the Wishing Steps, the gardens of Blarney Castle spin a tale as unique as the stone itself. Alex Schechter, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2023 The author of numerous books, both fiction and nonfiction, for children and adults, Fleischman knew how to spin a tale. Sarah Schutte, National Review, 27 Mar. 2022

Dictionary Entries Near spin a tale

Cite this Entry

“Spin a tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spin%20a%20tale. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!