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.
Here’s everything that goes down in the Overboard-esque Netflix K-drama that combines smalltown romance and crime drama for a satisfying tale of love against all odds. — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026 These elements are integral to Witch Hat Atelier, as author Kamome Shirahama explains her intent on crafting a purposeful world; one where a reader learns to recognize the signs of danger inside and outside of a fictional tale. — Kalai Chik, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 But man, the first like 20 minutes of this movie are rough going… although, probably not as rough going as poor Sam’s attempt to break into Cirith Ungol, where Frodo has been taken captive when our tale within a tale begins. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026 Telling such a tale of taking the proverbial bull by the horns would play well in the presidential election as well. — Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 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 10 Aug. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on tale

Nglish: Translation of tale for Spanish Speakers

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