legend

noun

ˈle-jənd How to pronounce legend (audio)
Definition of legendnext
1
as in caption
an explanatory list of the symbols on a map or chart the legend indicated that a large circle represented a major city, while a small circle stood for a small town

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2
as in translation
an explanation or description accompanying a pictorial illustration the legend in the science textbook indicated that the accompanying picture had been enlarged by 1000%

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3
as in myth
a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature some ancient civilizations had legends about spirits that inhabited trees and rocks

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4
as in folklore
the body of customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings associated with a people, thing, or place that story of how the world came to be has long been part of Native American legend

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of legend Football legends such as Charlie Ward, Travis Hunter and Eric Berry headline a distinguished legacy that continues in 2026. — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The series debuted with Angel City FC co-founder Julie Uhrman, with upcoming episodes featuring Olympic legend Allyson Felix and Always Alpha co-founder Cosette Chaput, followed by Los Angeles Sparks president Stacy Johns. — Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Over the course of his career, Tom Petty’s voice blended beautifully with Stevie Nicks, Heartbreakers bassist Howie Epstein, and the other rock legends in the Traveling Wilburys. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 7 Aug. 2026 Grown Ups 3 is also getting another cameo from NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, who will once again play Officer Fluzoo, a bumbling local police officer. — Emma Banks, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legend
  1. caption
  2. myth
  3. folklore
  4. key
  5. fable
  6. mythology
  7. table
  8. tradition
Noun
  • That's because when the stakes are high, and the actors begin to cry, the serious tone begs to be subverted by a humorous caption.
    — Owen Carry, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Seating in every space, step-free routes documented before anyone asks, quiet rooms, captions on, parking that works.
    — Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of caption
Noun
  • There are also myths about how to manage customer experiences designed to thrill customers.
    — Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The fact that such men are in short supply, and that this romanticized myth didn’t even remotely compare with the lives such men actually lived, is of little concern to today’s masculinists.
    — Michael Kimmel, Time, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of myth
Noun
  • Growing intellectual interest in African American folklore generated fresh research into Hoodoo during the early 20th century, much of it collected by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s and ’40s.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Happening upon this information, for first-time feature filmmaker Ryninks (who is also doing a master’s in folklore), felt like fate.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of folklore
Noun
  • The haunting 56-second clip begins with a theater curtain opening to reveal a nearly empty stage with just a piano and the C key playing repeatedly by itself.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Once a website sets a session cookie, the visiting browser must send a form of the cookie that’s signed with the key stored in the silicon.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of key
Noun
  • Likewise, Schoenbrun specializes in zeitgeisty fables about 21st century isolation.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Here is the rather randy first trailer for Wicker, the comedic fable starring Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård and Peter Dinklage that debuted at Sundance in January.
    — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 30 July 2026
Definition of fable
Noun
  • But its place in history has much more to do with mythology than elevation.
    — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The Bhagat Singh project joins a Historyverse slate that already encompasses titles drawn from Indian mythology and history, including projects centered on Shivaji and Swami Samarth.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of mythology
Noun
  • The lakefront pool and hot tub are perfect for unwinding together, and De La Nonna’s giant pizzas and firepit tables make family dinners easy and fun for the whole group.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Police Dendermonde posted a series of pictures that included 49 gold bars laid out on a table, a bucket of gold coins and officers appearing to log the findings on a computer.
    — Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of table
Noun
  • The backstory L’Auberge Carmel, a Relais & Châteaux property, was built in 1929 as a commission for Allen Knight, an adventurer and author, as a way to bring together the artistic spirit of Carmel-by-the-Sea and European traditions.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The genre benefits immensely not just from a vibrant game development culture but also from an even older tradition of complex martial arts and impeccable animation.
    — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of tradition

Browse Nearby Words

legations
legend
legendary
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Cite this Entry

“Legend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legend. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on legend

Nglish: Translation of legend for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about legend

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