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
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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
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fable
Its surrealistic elements blend with realistic properties and a unique video-game-like computer animation to create something remarkable: a cautious environmental fable and a testament to the power of working together to achieve a common goal.
—
Barry Levitt, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
The political fable, which uses anthropomorphic animals to tell a story about power and corruption, would become one of his most celebrated works.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025
The bad news is that the same level of attention and care does not appear to have been extended to the story or the characters, which is lethal for something that’s supposed to be a modern-day fable.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2025
All this recalls the fable of the boy who cried wolf once too often.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Barry Levitt, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
The political fable, which uses anthropomorphic animals to tell a story about power and corruption, would become one of his most celebrated works.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025
The bad news is that the same level of attention and care does not appear to have been extended to the story or the characters, which is lethal for something that’s supposed to be a modern-day fable.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2025
All this recalls the fable of the boy who cried wolf once too often.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fable
Noun
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As an allegory for displacement, for the lost sense of self that exile brings, as well as its eventual rediscovery, Yunan creeps up on you.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
25 Feb. 2025
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Fewer are discussing it as an allegory for our treatment of animals.—
Michael Freeman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
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This is the foundational myth that sustains a tendency towards intellectual tyranny.—
Jacob Hale Russell,
TIME,
4 Mar. 2025
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And Patton’s memorable opening speech hints at the film’s hesitancy about turning men into myths.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Were the tales of alien abduction that became popular in the 1980s a kind of mass hallucination?—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2025
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Passengers huddle to hear the fabled tale of a sailor who fell in love with the ocean, an allegory about bravery, exploration and transformation.—
Josh Rivera,
USA TODAY,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
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With overtime, the opportunity for avoidance lies in worker classification.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
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The case of Caylee Anthony began with elaborate, outrageous lies, and then kept going From the time of her mother’s 911 call until her trial three years later — when her story changed completely — Casey insisted to police and everyone else that Caylee had been abducted.—
Aja Romano,
Vox,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Jameson seeks accounts of its daily life instead of parables of repression, and finds them in long novels by Günter Grass and Uwe Tellkamp.—
Mark Greif,
Harper's Magazine,
26 July 2024
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Bathed in a pink-pop glow, its pastiche of romance and horror collide in a viciously mischievous parable of technology and control that speaks to these most anxious times.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The actress' latest project is Clean Slate, a comedy co-starring comedy legend George Wallace about a trans daughter and cis father learning how to navigate the former's transition.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
12 Mar. 2025
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The stadium tour, which includes Joel often pairing with fellow legends Stevie Nicks, Sting or Rod Stewart, was slated to start March 15 in Toronto.—
Melinda Newman,
Billboard,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Survivor 48 star Stephanie Berger is not rooting for Vula after that Tribal Council Fact or fiction?—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
6 Mar. 2025
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The ones who worked in fiction are coming to us, but most of them already came.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Forbes Daily: Join over 1 million Forbes Daily subscribers and get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.—
Chris Malone Mendez,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
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Test your knowledge of the major stories driving the news this week with the Fox News Digital News Quiz.—
Fox News Staff,
Fox News,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fable. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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