tale

noun

ˈtāl How to pronounce tale (audio)
Synonyms of talenext
1
a
: a usually imaginative narrative of an event : story
b
: an intentionally untrue report : falsehood
… always preferred the tale to the truth …—Sir Winston Churchill
2
a
: a series of events or facts told or presented : account
b(1)
: a report of a private or confidential matter
dead men tell no tales
(2)
: a libelous report or piece of gossip
3
a
: count, tally
b
: total
4
obsolete : discourse, talk

Synonyms of tale

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Examples of tale in a Sentence

The movie is a stirring tale of courage. We listened to his familiar tale of woe as he talked again about the failure of his marriage. He told us thrilling tales about his adventures as a pilot in the war. Are you telling tales again? Or is that the truth?
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This narrative of the woes of leadership could serve as a cautionary tale for the few dozen men and women in both of America’s political parties currently searching their souls and consulting their spouses about whether to run for president. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Luca Guadagnino‘s tech tale, which follows the five-day period in 2023 when Altman was fired and then rehired, earned rave reviews after its world premiere at New York Film Festival last week. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 The blast produced enough energy to flatten a significant stretch of the Siberian wilderness, marking an event that still serves as a cautionary tale — and a major point of reference — for modern planetary defense efforts. — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida presents Dracula, the Miami premiere of Roberto Forleo’s captivating full-length ballet inspired by Bram Stoker’s legendary tale. — Mike Hamersly, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tale

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English talu; akin to Old Norse tala talk

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of tale was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing tale

Rhymes for tale

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Browse Nearby Words

talcum powder
tale
talebearer
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Cite this Entry

“Tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tale. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tale

noun
ˈtā(ə)l How to pronounce tale (audio)
1
: something told
a tale of woe
2
: a story about an imaginary event
a fairy tale
3
: a false story : lie
4
: a piece of harmful gossip
spread tales about us
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