a story intended to teach a basic truth or moral about life
the film is an apologue of sorts, but the message is couched in a zany and action-filled plot
Mandela’s life and South Africa’s history should never be flattened into a corporate parable.
—
Gerald J. Leonard,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2026
The pair’s mysterious interactions in the early chapters give way to a series of parables of doubt and belief, in which a rational character is confronted by an irrational event—and immediately convinced of its absolute truth.
Sullivan’s Anne first aired on PBS the very same night, for instance, that the erotic multicultural dance fable Flashdance was first shown on network TV.
—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Aug. 2026
Even the 2025 Tigers, the team that staved off a monumental late-season collapse, lives on as a fable highlighting the importance of playing the whole schedule.
Set in 1964 and based on a true story, the film tells the tale of a young journalist who tracks down a potential Nazi officer living secretly in New York and befriends the suspect’s charming wife.
—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
31 Aug. 2026
Like James himself, the men are clever and bookish, writing letters or diaries, reading voraciously, and imagining themselves into tales of romance and Biblical comeuppance.
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.