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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fable
Its surrealistic elements blend with realistic properties and a unique video-game-like computer animation to create something remarkable: a cautious environmental fable and a testament to the power of working together to achieve a common goal.
—
Barry Levitt, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
The political fable, which uses anthropomorphic animals to tell a story about power and corruption, would become one of his most celebrated works.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025
The bad news is that the same level of attention and care does not appear to have been extended to the story or the characters, which is lethal for something that’s supposed to be a modern-day fable.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2025
All this recalls the fable of the boy who cried wolf once too often.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Barry Levitt, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
The political fable, which uses anthropomorphic animals to tell a story about power and corruption, would become one of his most celebrated works.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025
The bad news is that the same level of attention and care does not appear to have been extended to the story or the characters, which is lethal for something that’s supposed to be a modern-day fable.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2025
All this recalls the fable of the boy who cried wolf once too often.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable
Noun
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It’s been described as an allegory for current issues such as climate change.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2025
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Crouch used a canonical children’s fantasy movie as allegory for the the legal hurdles the district faced in relation to the proposal to split.—
Cody Copeland,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Kennedy’s reaction to measles outbreaks alarms public health experts because the former lawyer embraces myths that vitamin A and cod liver oil are effective against the virus.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
13 Mar. 2025
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When the team compared the genetic obesity risk scores with the data gathered from the questionnaires, quite a few myths got busted.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2025
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Known as the mystical force behind the throne, Scorpios holds a lot of authority and influence, similar to the way the Magic Mirror does in this tale.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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After experiencing what felt like my insides being ripped apart, no lie.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
17 Mar. 2025
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Perhaps unsurprisingly the main thrust of the Trend Micro research is looking at how AI is being used to make the lies that are used to get victims to click on links or divulge login credentials.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Absurd parables like this one have been taken seriously by some of the loudest voices in Silicon Valley, many of whom are now warning that AI is an existential risk, more dangerous than nuclear weapons.—
Bryan Walsh,
Vox,
5 Mar. 2025
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Jameson seeks accounts of its daily life instead of parables of repression, and finds them in long novels by Günter Grass and Uwe Tellkamp.—
Mark Greif,
Harper's Magazine,
26 July 2024
Noun
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The actress' latest project is Clean Slate, a comedy co-starring comedy legend George Wallace about a trans daughter and cis father learning how to navigate the former's transition.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
12 Mar. 2025
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According to a local legend, the masks and black faces with soot helped to scare away the Turks in the 16th century.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
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It is now being reissued in a deluxe edition by prestige publisher Folio Society, with illustrations by Doug Bell, occasioning Miéville to sit for an interview looking back at the book’s impact on his career, the cultural influence of speculative fiction, and what’s next for him and his work.—
Rob Salkowitz,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
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Dumont observes both the underclass and the otherworldly — elevating the analogies found in speculative fiction.—
Armond White,
National Review,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This alert is in effect until 7 p.m. Source: The National Weather Service This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 3:00 PM.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Mar. 2025
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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