myth

Definition of mythnext
1
as in legend
a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature according to an ancient Greek myth, humans acquired fire from Prometheus, a Titan who had stolen it from heaven

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in mythology
the body of customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings associated with a people, thing, or place over the years Davy Crockett evolved from an actual person to one of the great figures of American myth

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

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 myth The myth behind sanitizing dishes There’s a myth that mentions the importance of rinsing dishes before the dishwasher to ensure sanitation. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026 Let’s myth bust a little bit here, because there is a lot of lore around dressing for the Met. José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 6 May 2026 At Pinecrest Gardens every vine and curve of bark will seem to conspire with this myth of a nymph who, resisting the god’s advances, turns into a laurel tree. Guillermo Perez, Miami Herald, 5 May 2026 There's a myth that blooming signals a plant is dying—however, that's not true. Rachel Gillett, Martha Stewart, 5 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for myth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for myth
Noun
  • The barren landscape, despite its harsh conditions (daytime temperatures often exceed 125 degrees Fahrenheit), was—and still is—famous for its connection to many legends of treasure.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 8 May 2026
  • Sting, who became a legend in WCW before later signing with AEW for the last run of his career, remembered Turner as well.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • Speaking to Vogue in New York last week, Sharpe was quick to complicate the mythology surrounding Mozart, focusing instead on the psychological cost of genius.
    Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 11 May 2026
  • The great arc of stars in the constellation Corona Borealis represents the crown of Ariadne in Greek mythology, who, in some tellings, marries the god Dionysus following the defeat of the bull-like minotaur in the labyrinth below the Aegean island of Crete by the demigod Theseus.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 9 May 2026
Noun
  • Masks are slipping and illusions are fading.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
  • The United States, searching for self-definition but loath to lose its illusions—its innocence—needed all of this as a counterpoint.
    Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • The barnyard fable is as old as the barnyard, as old as Aesop, older than the Bible.
    Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
  • That Niall finds Ruben so alluring is natural to Gadd, who believes the notion of a valiant male figure has been bred into everyone via fables and fairy tales.
    Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • It was named for Lilith, a demonic figure of Jewish folklore who is said to have been Adam’s first wife (before Eve).
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
  • The city is famously home to the iconic Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statues, a must-see photo stop that celebrates Minnesota folklore.
    Katy Spratte Joyce, Midwest Living, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • His delusion is central to why this revival is so potent.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
  • Concerns have grown over the potential for AI chatbots to fuel delusions in people, especially those who are already vulnerable to mental health problems.
    Laura Jarrett, NBC news, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • My expertise, for example, is in the African American sonnet tradition.
    Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
  • This bill is overbroad, administratively unreliable, and inconsistent with Connecticut’s civil-liberties traditions.
    James R Mason, Hartford Courant, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • Mayer advanced to third on a subsequent error by Walls trying to flip the ball to second base, which scored Yoshida, and came home himself on Caleb Durbin’s RBI single, tying the game at 3-3.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
  • He was found dead by suicide in his jail cell that August — the result of what federal investigators concluded in 2023 was a cascade of misconduct, negligence and errors by staff at the Metropolitan Correctional Center.
    Tom Winter, NBC news, 7 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Myth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/myth. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on myth

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster