FABLES Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

fables

noun

plural of fable

as in allegories

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

as in myths

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

as in tales

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

as in lies

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 fables Few eras of Greek history compare to the ancient times that the country has become so synonymous with—the cinematic fables of Odysseus, comic-book lore of Leonidas, and philosophic creeds of Socrates are ever-present in pop culture. — Shannon McMahon, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026 Abstract Deer Deer are the center of countless fairytales, fables, and general folklore. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026 Likewise, Schoenbrun specializes in zeitgeisty fables about 21st century isolation. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 Explore the Wild West from the back of a rickety wagon as characters share famed fables about Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox, Pecos Bill, John Henry and Hekeke. — Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 10 July 2026 In 1964, Time, which then had a circulation of more than 3 million, ran a cover story on John Cheever, the author known for his dark fables of suburban malaise. — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 My dad’s stories about his grade-school experience felt like dark fables, peppered with slurs hurled at him by classmates. — Rachel Tepper Paley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026 The novel has a freewheeling spirit that recalls Italo Calvino’s space fables in Cosmicomics. — Literary Hub, 11 June 2026 The collection spans centuries of storytelling in multiple genres, from migratory fairytales with kings and princesses to legends of ghosts and the Devil to fables with talking animals. — Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fables

Noun

Mungiu may have a less sadistic streak and a more active camera, but the two filmmakers share a particular commitment to narrative indeterminacy, devising intricate yet incomplete crime-story plots that function broadly as sociopolitical allegories.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026
There are allegories that can be read about fear of the unknown breeding cruelty and exploitation, but Disclosure Day is first and foremost a propulsive yarn with thematic roots in hope, truth, empathy and perhaps even spirituality.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2026

Definition of allegories

Noun

Ancient myths and modern cinema depict bogs as sinister locales, dangerous to cross, and fatal to get trapped in.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
But in earlier myths, Al Basty was described as a hearth deity and a protector of women in childbirth.

— Yulia Denisyuk, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of myths

Noun

The story gains a sense of momentum and inevitability as these disconnected tales suddenly become part of a continuous thread.

— Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
And in 2017, historian Alberto (Carlos González) struggles to figure out how the two preceding tales intersect, stumped until an academic (Glenn Close in a brief, striking cameo) steps in to help.

— Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of tales

Noun

There’s a reason why political stories are often chosen as parables for moral compromise.

— Matt Donnelly, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
As nightmare thought experiments shape the fight over how to govern a multitrillion-dollar industry, some experts say the parables may lead decision-makers astray.

— Nitasha Tiku, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of parables

Noun

When Atlanta rap legends Outkast sued a rising California rapper-producer over his stage name last month, fellow West Coast emcee Vince Staples had a three-word response.

— DeAsia Paige, AJC.com, 14 Oct. 2026
From the settings of spooky flicks and gothic literary legends to places that take their pumpkin patches and seasonal decor quite seriously, these eight spots prove that Halloween is so much more than a single night.

— Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of legends

Browse Nearby Words

fabled

fables

fabric

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Fables.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fables. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of fables

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes