1
as in story
a rumor or report of a personal or sensational nature
don't believe the tales you hear about our neighbor's kid
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2
as in anecdote
a brief account of something interesting that happened especially to one personally
asked Dad to tell once again the tale of how, as a kid, he broke his arm jumping out of a tree
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3
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
told tall tales in an attempt to impress me with her supposedly upper-crust background
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in novella
a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel
the oft-told tale of Sleeping Beauty
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tale
From casting backlash and political dustups to a lingering conversation of how to portray the tale's dwarfs in 2025, here's a timeline detailing the Snow White live-action remake's controversies.
—
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Levinson animates many of Costello’s monologues about his life and work with a blend of archival and faux-archival photographs and footage, creating and then animating snapshots of history as a nod to the authenticity of this true-life tale.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 20 Mar. 2025
Karma revolves around a fateful accident, which intertwines six lives in a tale of karma and crime, where each must face their own dark truths and connections.
—Sara Merican, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2025
With a tone that recalls Quentin Tarantino, The English tells the tale of a grieving mother (Emily Blunt) and a member of the Pawnee Nation (Chaske Spencer) who are forced into an allyship to survive a brutal journey.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Levinson animates many of Costello’s monologues about his life and work with a blend of archival and faux-archival photographs and footage, creating and then animating snapshots of history as a nod to the authenticity of this true-life tale.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 20 Mar. 2025
Karma revolves around a fateful accident, which intertwines six lives in a tale of karma and crime, where each must face their own dark truths and connections.
—Sara Merican, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2025
With a tone that recalls Quentin Tarantino, The English tells the tale of a grieving mother (Emily Blunt) and a member of the Pawnee Nation (Chaske Spencer) who are forced into an allyship to survive a brutal journey.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tale
Noun
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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
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Another limited series based on a true-crime story?—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
19 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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But the second season shies away from revealing much more about the savvy ex-cocktail waitress, who has a gift for sniffing out lies.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA TODAY,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Stag Dance, by Torrey Peters Peters' collection - three short stories and a novella that shares the book's name- playfully wreaks havoc with the tenuous barriers established by gender conventions.—
Colin Dwyer,
NPR,
11 Mar. 2025
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Additional books in the immensely popular series include A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin, the novella A Court of Frost and Starlight and A Court of Silver Flames.—
Keisha Hatchett,
TVLine,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Federal prosecutors in California charged Buma Tuesday with one count of disclosure of confidential information.—
Compiled by Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports,
arkansasonline.com,
21 Mar. 2025
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The actor was ultimately found guilty of two misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment against his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, who said Majors attacker her in the back of an SUV.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Some earbuds claim to be noise-canceling but barely block out a whisper.—
Juhi Wadia,
PCMAG,
17 Mar. 2025
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There were also controlling parents and whispers of abuse throughout the industry.—
Louisa Thomas,
The New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Many of our favorite stories, fables and rhymes came from the volumes of the set of Childcraft Books published in 1954 which accompany our family’s ages-old set of World Book Encyclopedias.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2025
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Drawing on ancient folklore, fables and myths, Chainey’s film was branded a ‘folk horror’, a promise the film could not live up to.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The superstar’s debut solo full-length Alter Ego becomes a quick bestseller in America, earning Lisa a coveted placement on a number of Billboard tallies.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
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Maryland, New York state and Vermont were added to the CDC's tally of measles cases this week.—
Alexander Tin,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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But on this particular score, Roberts is once again dead wrong.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
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The Department of Education could play a key role in that, Huffman said, setting goals for increasing scores and ensuring students graduate with certain skills.—
Obed Manuel,
NPR,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tale. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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