tale

noun

ˈtāl How to pronounce tale (audio)
Definition of talenext
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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Relevance
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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5
as in count
a total number obtained or recorded by noting each thing as it was being added when the tale of the dead from the disaster is announced, the city will be in shock

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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 tale Kick off with 2012’s Moonrise Kingdom, a nostalgic tale about 12-year-old kids Sam and Suzy, who fall in love and run away together one summer. — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026 The Looney Tunes animation–live action hybrid film is an inspired David-and-Goliath tale about the overreach and cruelty of corporations in the modern age, and its journey to release is a real-life corollary. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026 Under its skin, tattoos is a tale of growth, the bumpy path into adulthood, and relationships that come and go. — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 28 Aug. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for tale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tale
  1. story
  2. lie
  3. novella
  4. count
  5. whisper
  6. tally
  7. score
Noun
  • Like all other alumni interviewed for this story, one of the first things Oberlander mentioned about her love for Killian was athletics — football games in particular.
    — Austin Horn August 29, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Your stories are a great reminder of what sports teaches high school students about life.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of story
Noun
  • The show’s noir movie aesthetics still serve its story of political ambition, where revenge is disguised as justice and greed hidden behind lofty lies of patriotism.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The new layout on the wide-body plane features 144 premium seats, including 70 lie-flat seats with sliding doors in its Flagship Suite section at the front of the plane.
    — Michele Luhn, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of lie
Noun
  • Nors is the author of the story collections Wild Swims and Karate Chop; four previous novels, including Mirror, Shoulder, Signal, a finalist for the Man Booker International Prize; and two novellas, collected in So Much for That Winter.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Based on the first novella in Martha Wells’ book series, Murderbot is a sci-fi thriller/comedy about a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients, played by Skarsgård.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of novella
Noun
  • Clancy, 36, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder related to the strangling deaths of her children Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months.
    — James Powel, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The move came as a surprise, since Høiby is not of blood relation to the late King and is currently on house arrest after being found guilty of two counts of rape in June.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of count
Noun
  • Maybe the lasting message of Furious, until its second season arrives, is that there are no answers — or at least, none that can be said louder than a whisper shared between new friends bonding during a jailhouse meeting.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The extent of his former client list was unearthed through whispers and gossip.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of whisper
Noun
  • According to a tally by Parcl, the eight institutions were net sellers of 3,011 houses in the second quarter of this year.
    — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The youngest is now 150 days old, a milestone at which the baby birds are considered independent enough to be added to the tally.
    — Adela Suliman, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of tally
Noun
  • Because symptoms associated with perimenopause can overlap with other medical concerns, talk with a qualified healthcare provider about any new, persistent, severe or concerning symptoms — regardless of your score.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The longtime 5-star Georgia football commitment threw for three touchdowns and ran for another 78-yard score for IMG Academy on Saturday night.
    — Jeff Sentell, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of score

Phrases Containing tale

Browse Nearby Words

taking up with
tale
talebearer
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Cite this Entry

“Tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tale. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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