1
as in allegory
a story intended to teach a basic truth or moral about life
this classic Christmas film is essentially a fable showing how every person's life has meaning and touches the lives of others
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in myth
a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature
according to an ancient fable the waters of the mountain spring are the tears of a woman weeping for her lost children
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in tale
something that is the product of the imagination
the stories of lost cities of gold may have been fables deliberately concocted by Native Americans to dupe the Spanish
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
the fables that people tell themselves to rationalize their failures and shortcomings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 fable
For someone like me who loves both science and silliness, this playful, surreal fable was a glorious read.
—
Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 4 Dec. 2025
His movies — farces, fables, experiments — reside in surreal worlds of their own.
—Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
Will there be fables about musical sand dunes on Mars?
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
There’s a whole other movie happening within Good Fortune‘s attempt to Aesop-fable its way to some moral about a modest life being a more fulfilling one even if you’re forced to live in your car.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable
Noun
-
Is this the real world or an apocalyptic allegory of some kind?—
-
The team’s hypothesis gets its name from a 2,400-year-old allegory by the Greek philosopher Plato.—
Noun
-
The many myths and inaccuracies that surrounded him not only disguised the bloody, chaotic and cynical reality of Ramírez’s activities, but greatly assisted them.—
-
Before Ilia Malinin, the quadruple axel was somewhat of a myth.—
Noun
-
Yet this was the tale of two halves.—
-
This is, in part, a cautionary tale.—
Noun
-
Whenever the president floated some bizarre policy idea, issued a new threat, or told a brazen lie about the state of the economy, Hassett would be one of the first people on cable news justifying it.—
-
Our entire relationship was built on a lie.—
Noun
-
What kind of message would prime Jeezy have presented without the pyrex parables in tow?—
-
The wordplay is as colorful as the sonics are sedate, tag-team player parables sailing over production seeking a slippery middle ground between East and West Coast throwback jams.—
Noun
-
It was revealed in 2024 that Mavis Leno, to whom the talk show legend has been married since 1980, has been battling an advanced form of dementia.—
-
The owner, Nancy Becker, is a legend.—
Noun
-
Just as Hedayat’s narrator tries to preserve the fleeting presence of the ethereal woman through an image, Golshiri’s protagonist has spent a lifetime writing this unattainable woman into his fiction to keep her alive.—
-
In an interview edited for length and clarity, Connelly talked about how he was convinced of Baber’s conclusions, the revelations the investigation reveals, as well as an update on his work in fiction and television.—
Noun
-
This two-story home provides a generous living space with its four bedrooms and three baths.—
-
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.—
Cite this Entry
“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
