1
as in allegories
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 myths
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 fictions
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 tales
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 fables
Modern horror is at the forefront of political movements and are the fables of our time.
—
American Booksellers Association, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
Allusions to myths, fables, and riffs on common idioms abound, many of them evocative and quite funny.
—Lora Kelley, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2025
American Booksellers Association, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
Allusions to myths, fables, and riffs on common idioms abound, many of them evocative and quite funny.
—Lora Kelley, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fables
Noun
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The Terror from Beyond Space served up slimy green men and Red Scare allegories, the period covered by Baron abounds with optimism and wonder.—
David Kamp,
Air Mail,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Trans allegories abound in horror fiction, but vampires just might be the hottest one of all.—
Samantha Allen,
Them.,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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While most technology leaders have done their fair share to dispel these myths in favor of AI’s transformative potential, concerns of misinformation, security vulnerabilities and unpredictability still hum beneath the unstoppable swell of AI innovation.—
Monish Darda,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Without clear evidence, myths persist — and athletes hesitate.—
Starre Vartan,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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It is rooted in the dehumanizing language and convenient fictions that precede acts of violence.—
Brad Braxton,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
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Paranoia-inducing fictions like Wells’s aside, the public came to view Martians not as monsters but as representatives of a higher civilization—as angels, even, at a time when new science was shaking old religious certainties.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Their empires cracked, their shadows receded, and their names faded into cautionary tales.—
John Hope Bryant,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
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The mysterious spirit animal messengers that Ji-noo sends, a tiger and a magpie who represent the nobles and commoners of many Korean folk tales, needed to be otherworldly without being fully demonic.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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With contributions across disciplines, the legends featured in the pages of WWD over the decades let their passion fuel innovation, shaping and evolving brand legacies and the industry to reflect the times while leaving an indelible mark.—
Tonya Blazio-Licorish,
Footwear News,
10 Sep. 2025
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The series will highlight the unbridled audacity of young men not just leveling up, but determined to become legends in the game.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
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While some among Democrats cast him as the party’s national leader and a natural choice for their 2028 nominee, conservative critics point to his past controversies, including other pay-for-play stories.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In an era of doubt, gaslighting, and lies, the choir needs preaching, too.—
Nathaniel Moore
September 10,
Literary Hub,
10 Sep. 2025
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And sure as hell, there Daniel is, having lunch with Laura, who has all but forgotten that, as the wise Lilith told her, all lies eventually come out; no matter who has told them, and no matter for what reason.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Season 2 once again explores the consequences of turning fantasies into reality in suburban Britain.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
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From cozy, whimsical fantasies to historical fiction and horror, this guide to August’s brightest new releases has something for everyone.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fables.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fables. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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