1
as in allegory
a story intended to teach a basic truth or moral about life
this classic Christmas film is essentially a fable showing how every person's life has meaning and touches the lives of others
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2
as in myth
a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature
according to an ancient fable the waters of the mountain spring are the tears of a woman weeping for her lost children
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3
as in tale
something that is the product of the imagination
the stories of lost cities of gold may have been fables deliberately concocted by Native Americans to dupe the Spanish
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4
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
the fables that people tell themselves to rationalize their failures and shortcomings
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of fable
Investigating these unverifiable fables about aliens should be scrapped as a fool’s errand for AARO, which earlier this year released a historical review demolishing this long-running conspiracy theory.
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Luis Cayetano Simmari, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2024
The anthology film, which premiered earlier this year at Cannes, is made up of a trio of surreal fables rife with coercion, druggings, assaults, and self-mutilation.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2024
Where to watch: Max ‘Tuesday’ In the offbeat suburban fable, Death comes to a terminally ill teen (Lola Petticrew) in the form of a size-changing talking macaw.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024
From paintings on ancient cave walls to parables, fables, and memes, animals have served as important storytelling tools.
—Randy Boyagoda, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fable 
Luis Cayetano Simmari, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2024
The anthology film, which premiered earlier this year at Cannes, is made up of a trio of surreal fables rife with coercion, druggings, assaults, and self-mutilation.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2024
Where to watch: Max ‘Tuesday’ In the offbeat suburban fable, Death comes to a terminally ill teen (Lola Petticrew) in the form of a size-changing talking macaw.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024
From paintings on ancient cave walls to parables, fables, and memes, animals have served as important storytelling tools.
—Randy Boyagoda, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable
Noun
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Hot Frosty is an allegory for the life of Jesus as told through the prism of a perpetually damp and sleeveless guy who used to be on Schitt’s Creek and Lacey Chabert.Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
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The pic, currently in pre-production, is described as an allegory for the gun crisis in the U.S. Rohit Karn Batra directs.Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2024
Noun
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The wholesale engulfing of the myth of white superiority is what makes that kind of violence.Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 20 Nov. 2024
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And once again, our two heroes — recast as Don Quixote and Sancho Panza tilting at wind turbines — struggle to reconcile the myths that men write for themselves with the realities that life is actually willing to offer them.David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The Memory Palace by Nate DiMeo (Random House: $33) A collection of offbeat tales from American history. … Paperback fiction 1.The California Independent Booksellers Alliance, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
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In my book, the catalogue of tales that spring from Thanksgiving easily rival those of Christmas.Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Blocks of alabaster, limestone, granite and marble lie about in the brown grass.Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 19 Nov. 2024
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The site was for sale after Jones lost a $1.4 billion defamation suit against the families of children killed in the Sandy Hook massacre — which Jones continually spread lies about — forcing him into bankruptcy.Justin Curto, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The riffs and ribbing were still there, as were the parables about fame and celebrity as corruptive, murder-inspiring forces.Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
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This approach, which was known as neoclassical economics, struck Harris as an unrealistic parable that didn’t reflect the real world.John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Disney legend Minnie Mouse will debut her own 60-foot balloon at this year's parade joining Mickey Mouse, whose balloon debut was in 1934, Pluto (1934), Donald Duck (1935) and Goofy (1992).Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 28 Nov. 2024
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Advertisement Dodgers Plaschke: Shohei Ohtani’s legend continues as a baseball star, not a gambler April 11, 2024 Off the field, Mizuhara became Ohtani’s friend and confidant.Hallie Golden, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The books are mainly literary fiction, with occasional nonfiction.Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2024
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In fiction, that’s not always true, but the principle of economy still applies.JD Barker, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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One lesson for kindergartners about the Golden Rule, for example, centers on how Jesus taught the rule during his Sermon on the Mount, along with a story from the Jewish Torah.Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports, arkansasonline.com, 23 Nov. 2024
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Eileen Collins’ story is one of grit, perseverance, and incredible grace under fire.Dr. Ruth Gotian, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near fable
Cite this Entry
“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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