Thesaurus results for FOLKTALES

folktales

noun

plural of folktale

as in tales

a traditional description of imaginary events circulated orally among a people West African folktales that continue to be passed from generation to generation through storytelling

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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 folktales The body horror of birth gives way to the fairy-tale horror of early motherhood, which McBride, a translator based in Barcelona, strews with literary Easter eggs from folktales and Victorian poetry. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Disney made its name on the back of fairy and folktales, retelling centuries-old stories and giving them a fresh new spin for modern audiences. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 24 July 2026 Irving may have been influenced by German folktales about a man who slept for 20 years, or European stories of terrifying headless riders, but these stories were set in rural New York state, with a distinctly American voice and references. — Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026 From causing supernatural events to creating hysteria, our orbiting nightlight has always had legends and folktales written about it. — Taylor Grothe, Parents, 28 June 2026 Traditionally played on string instruments like the dulcimer, fiddle, and banjo, this distinctly twangy genre passed down religious hymns, ballads, and folktales through generations. — Hillary Richard, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026 Comprising more than 300 folktales and legends from northern Norway, including many from the coastal Sámi and the Skolt Sámi of eastern Finland, this anthology shares narratives told by fishers, farmers, reindeer herders, lay preachers and teachers. — Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026 This ecology is woven into our folktales and culture. — Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026 Below, see the streamer’s list of authors to watch, from contemporary folktales and family dramas to dark fantasy and spicy time travel tales. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for folktales

Noun

In forums on Reddit, women share tales of having perimenopause and menopause symptoms misdiagnosed or dismissed as mental health disorders, early-onset dementia, or autoimmune issues, resulting in months or years of unnecessary testing.

— Yulin Hswen, STAT, 27 Aug. 2026
Vedder’s elliptical tales of adolescent trauma were a perfect fit with music that blended classic-rock tropes (especially McCready’s solos) with punk energy, grunge guitar tones and the groove-heavy vibe of early-Nineties alt-rock.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of tales

Noun

City sold many of the players who were supposed to represent the new era, with four bought in the last 18 months moved on swiftly for big fees, while club legends Rodri, Bernardo Silva and John Stones have all departed.

— Sam Lee, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
After attending Jackson State University and Millsaps College, Wilson got a job at a New Orleans television station, which put her in the orbit of local jazz legends Ellis Marsalis and Alvin Batiste, among others.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of legends

Noun

Luckily with the advent of social media, more people are sharing their experiences with these conditions, and this will hopefully contribute to the dispelling of myths about these conditions.

— Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Visitors are invited to travel across time and place to notice how societies around the world tended to weave similar, parallel myths.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of myths

Noun

Story facilitation, a process of helping individuals discover and articulate their experiences as meaningful narratives, empowers leaders and teams.

— Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
In an era of polarization and oversimplified historical narratives, American women need not nostalgia but a new fleet of American Girls who can tell difficult, dangerous, heartbreaking and tenacious stories of lives past.

— Tara Strauch, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of narratives

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folktale

folktales

follies

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“Folktales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folktales. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of folktales

noun

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