1
as in stories
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 anecdotes
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 lies
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 novelle
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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of tales
Then there are cautionary tales like the one in which a boy gets his fingers cut off for being a picky eater—stories about cause and effect, separation from loved ones, stealing, and death.
—
Max Ufberg, hazlitt.net, 4 Jan. 2025
The cousin from Idaho will regale Boise friends back home with travel tales of entering a Miami speakeasy.
—Lilian Raji, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
In the hour leading up to kick-off, there is a grim succession of similar tales from supporters who have been ripped off.
—James Pearce, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
As well as some other non-alien related tales that will remain off the record, 5.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
The tales all connect at a Caroling Party that began in the Rosedale neighborhood of Austin 40 years ago.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 24 Dec. 2024
Like so many spy tales, the show is driven by intricate plotting rather than by meaningful character development.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
There’s a treasure trove of humorous tales behind the show’s location shoots.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 23 Dec. 2024
These cautionary tales underscore the need for strategic preparation and adaptability.
—Zennon Kapron, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Max Ufberg, hazlitt.net, 4 Jan. 2025
The cousin from Idaho will regale Boise friends back home with travel tales of entering a Miami speakeasy.
—Lilian Raji, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
In the hour leading up to kick-off, there is a grim succession of similar tales from supporters who have been ripped off.
—James Pearce, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
As well as some other non-alien related tales that will remain off the record, 5.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
The tales all connect at a Caroling Party that began in the Rosedale neighborhood of Austin 40 years ago.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 24 Dec. 2024
Like so many spy tales, the show is driven by intricate plotting rather than by meaningful character development.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
There’s a treasure trove of humorous tales behind the show’s location shoots.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 23 Dec. 2024
These cautionary tales underscore the need for strategic preparation and adaptability.
—Zennon Kapron, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tales
Noun
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Vogue Beauty The biggest beauty stories, trends, and product recommendations.Marie Bladt, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2024
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Happy holidays and Forbes Daily will return to your inbox with the day’s top stories on January 3.Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Elsewhere in Cher's memoir, the singer recalls her relationship with Gene Simmons, taking a drunken John Lennon to the Playboy Mansion and her first impression of Dolly Parton, among other anecdotes.Marina Watts, People.com, 25 Dec. 2024
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Still, their workmanlike aesthetics allow for the anecdotes to pop, as told by the creatives at the forefront of this reading revolution.Courtney Howard, Variety, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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To uncover the truth about a pernicious insurance industry practice, staffers with the New York’s state attorney general’s office decided to tell a series of lies.Max Blau, ProPublica, 14 Nov. 2024
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The breach led by Peters heightened concerns that rogue election workers sympathetic to partisan lies could use their access and knowledge to attack voting processes from within.Mead Gruver, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near tales
Cite this Entry
“Tales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tales. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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