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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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 folktales This vast misshapen island was traditionally noted for ghosts, folktales, eccentricity, fish, and friendliness. — Paul Theroux, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026 In Mexico, Yamel’s mother tells scary folktales to caution her against real-life dangers. — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 Almost all folktales are lessons about family, about roles and belonging. — Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for folktales

Noun

Flanagan is the prolific horror writer-director who has tackled several Stephen King tales (Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, Carrie) and delivered several limited series hits for Netflix (Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher).

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
How did the zombie go from being an emblem of enslavement and loss of autonomy in Haitian Vodou to the favorite flesh-eating grotesquerie of postapocalyptic tales?

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of tales

Noun

Trick Daddy and Trina are bringing Miami vibes to Grand Theft Auto VI, as the rap legends have been unveiled as hosts of one of the forthcoming title’s in-game radio stations.

— Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Looking back on the legends she’s worked with and known, from Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan to Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson, Crow was overcome by emotion.

— Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of legends

Noun

The Middle East Monitor, which brands itself as supportive of the Palestinian cause, had published at least 21 stories under bylines OpenAI said were fake including Hoskins, Michael Harrison, Jenny Williams and Alice Johnson.

— Miriam Waldvogel, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
Kapoor will lead the creative direction, with Balaji retaining the underlying IP while tapping YouTube’s global distribution and advertising business — a savvy expansion that doesn’t involve surrendering ownership of her stories.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of stories

Noun

After decades of perspective-shifting literary retellings like Wide Sargasso Sea and The Mists of Avalon and the current trend of feminist Greek myths, Cathy is an enigma begging for some traumatic backstory to staple her flaws together.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Some myths about private capital persist for small-business owners, especially around what an investment actually means for a company.

— Frank Williamson, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of myths

Noun

The narratives surrounding the Chicago White Sox are familiar to anyone who has paid any attention during the regular season.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
As a professor who studies media and culture, the commercial narratives around our technologies are as consequential as the technologies themselves.

— Michael Serazio, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of narratives

Noun

Amazon has its own agentic shopping assistant, Alexa for Shopping , which offers personalized recommendations, product comparisons, and price histories, and can automate purchases through features such as Price Alerts and Auto-Buy.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
That strange acclimation extends to the human characters, whose emotional histories are gradually filled in.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of histories

Noun

For the latest installment of Vogue’s Required Reading series, Hoover rounds up some of the books that most inspired her own work—Verity in particular—from romances to thrillers and beyond.

— Emma Specter, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026
These are impossible romances, complicated and spiritually incestuous, which perhaps explains why Alex so often seems unbothered by them.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of romances

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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 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of folktales

noun

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