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

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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 During an interview with Drew Steele on the digital news outlet Florida’s Voice, Renner trotted out tired old myths about the reliability of solar energy that haven’t been true in more than a decade. David Jenkins, Sun Sentinel, 26 May 2026 This was the kind of Leeds performance outsiders had expected since the team secured safety, but battling displays with Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion dispelled that myth. Beren Cross, New York Times, 25 May 2026 And with that began the decades-long myth that ducks would crash land on the field. Shaun Goodwin may 25, Idaho Statesman, 25 May 2026 Some still believe Ebola is a myth Even as at least one funeral home manager dusted off coffins for sale alongside a road in Bunia, experts reported a lack of trust among some residents of the region who do not believe the virus exists. Justin Kabumba, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for myth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for myth
Noun
  • His desire to ensure the spotlight remained on two outgoing legends was understandable, but the contrast from 12 months earlier was stark.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • In a break from tradition in which only senators can speak in the historic, third-floor chamber, various high-ranking officials stepped up to the podium to tell their stories about Looney as a Senate giant and living legend.
    Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • Copyright © 2026 by Sharon Blackie DR SHARON BLACKIE is an award-winning and internationally bestselling author, and a psychologist with a background in mythology and folklore.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
  • That mythology is why the powder-throwing is playful rather than aggressive.
    Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Platforms delegate the illusion of control and trade on a libertarian myth to obscure the autocratic reality.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
  • The modern estate is being asked to function simultaneously as residence, wellness retreat, office, sports facility and family compound, all while preserving the illusion that none of it requires management at all.
    Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Noun
  • Clark Shotwell plays the airplane enthusiast who gets a taste of first class – and chicken cordon bleu – flying with his actress mom to Hollywood in a throwback fable from a kid's perspective.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 29 May 2026
  • Wygodny has written original music to subtly accompany Booth’s fable, lending the emotional subtext at points a penumbra of cello.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • Centered on Zhong Kui, the iconic demon-quelling deity of Chinese folklore, the family-friendly adventure follows a young human girl named Chujiu who accidentally enters the underworld.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 June 2026
  • Some of these approaches require meticulous scholarship and technical proficiency; others, an attunement to the invisible realms of feeling and folklore.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • Liaquat Ahamed has spent his career studying the moments when the world’s financial system breaks down — the bad bets, the collective delusions, and the geopolitical accidents that tip economies into catastrophe.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026
  • Among these delusions is the perennial faith that Iranians are potentially ardent converts to American-style freedom, rather than inheritors of an ancient civilization with a trajectory outlined by its own specific history.
    Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Culturally, populism spoke to a tension between the taste found in metropolitan centers and that of people in small towns across the country, pitting (for instance) classical opera and European masterwork exhibitions against folk traditions in art, dancing, and music.
    Katy Siegel, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • This is quintessential Alberta—a place where Indigenous traditions breathe life into the land, where artistry ignites the soul, and where prehistoric treasures foster unwavering connections.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Avila-Siqueiros was silencing the Warner bats, allowing just four walks and an error in the first five innings.
    Kevin J. Farmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
  • Among frequent issues cited in the adverse event reports were administration of an extra or incorrect dose, issues with communication about a product, and prescribing errors.
    Maia Rosenfeld, NBC news, 29 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Myth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/myth. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.

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