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
The best film version of Finney’s tale is the ‘70s one with Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Veronica Cartwright, Jeff Goldblum, and Leonard Nimoy.
—
Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 7 May 2025
However, his experience can be looked at as something of a cautionary tale, historians said.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025
The Timberwolves star seemed to come away believing there was a theme to the tales.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 5 May 2025
But the most sobering cautionary tale comes from 1894, when a lighthouse keeper’s pet cat named Tibbles was introduced to Stephens Island in New Zealand.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 7 May 2025
However, his experience can be looked at as something of a cautionary tale, historians said.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025
The Timberwolves star seemed to come away believing there was a theme to the tales.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 5 May 2025
But the most sobering cautionary tale comes from 1894, when a lighthouse keeper’s pet cat named Tibbles was introduced to Stephens Island in New Zealand.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tale
Noun
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Despite the fallout, Owens remains firm in her belief that Ye’s story has been misrepresented and his mental health unfairly weaponized.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
5 May 2025
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This story contains details from the season 2 opener of The Walking Dead: Dead City on AMC.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
4 May 2025
Noun
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Beneath the veneer of misanthropy and the din of controversy her perspective has often incited lies a more generous sensibility that was always present but is only now coming to the fore.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
1 May 2025
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Like Bondi, Dhillon has pushed Trump’s lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Penned in 1942 on Long Island and published a year later, Saint Exupéry’s timeless novella feels more relevant than ever.—
Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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Most Carmen opera or ballet productions draw the story from the 1854 novella by French writer Prosper Mérimée — and generally are set in 19th century Spain.—
Lisa Vernon Sparks,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Tal Alexander is individually named in five out of the nine counts.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Maria Paronich,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2025
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Holmes, 41, was sentenced in January 2023 to 11 years and 3 months in prison after being found guilty of four counts of wire fraud in January 2022.—
Chris Eudaily,
CNBC,
8 May 2025
Noun
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The days before the storied conclave May 7 at the Vatican are not idle, and an unspoken selection process is already underway amid whispers in corridors and cafes throughout Rome and other cities in Italy.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
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There’s been whispers all season that if the Knicks lost in the first round that things wouldn’t be the same next year.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
Noun
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Max Webster’s production, which won three Tony Awards for its mesmerizing design, brings audiences along on an adventure that combines the heartfelt wisdom of a classic fable with the splendor of modern stage poetry.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2025
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With a beautifully labyrinthian plot, Alma and Mina’s story is a modern fable about good samaritans and well-intentioned, moneyed, privileged people.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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By the end of 2019, measles cases that year added up to the largest annual tally since endemic spread of the virus was declared eliminated in 2000.—
Faris Tanyos,
CBS News,
2 May 2025
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According to an Associated Press tally, about 50 Trump executive actions have been partially or fully blocked by the courts while about 40 have been left in effect.—
Eric Tucker,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2025
Noun
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Petersen secured the victory with scores of 30-25, 30-26 and 30-26 from the three Octagon-side judges.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
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After a popout, a fielding error by shortstop Aubrey Evans allowed another run to score.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tale. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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