tales

plural of tale
1
2
as in anecdotes
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
5
as in counts
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 tales If Crystal and Ellis had stayed on that tack — tales about the house at 860 bound together by a sense of its loss — 860 might have the sturdiness of a tearjerker. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026 On the surface, his new album Antione’s Son is the same old same old—airy melodies, drug talk, vomiting ad-libs—but punched up by suburban ennui and in-the-weeds romantic tales that makes the music feel refreshingly personal. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026 Most of the meals are shared with other guests, which adds a lovely social component to your stay, during which everyone usually shares tales of their travels. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026 The cautionary tales of child stardom, from Judy Garland to Britney Spears, have found a new breeding ground online. — Nancy Jo Sales, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026 Subsequent generations of founders drew from these tales the moral lesson that every great company originates in betrayal and is sustained by combat. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 The story gains a sense of momentum and inevitability as these disconnected tales suddenly become part of a continuous thread. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 And in 2017, historian Alberto (Carlos González) struggles to figure out how the two preceding tales intersect, stumped until an academic (Glenn Close in a brief, striking cameo) steps in to help. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 In the special, taped at the Ontario Improv in Ontario, CA, Robles shares tales of growing up with a strict Latino Catholic mother, navigating the dating world, and life on the road. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tales
Noun
  • In the 2021 Senate runoff elections in Georgia, this writer did a number of stories following forecasts by Thomas Miller, a prominent data scientist who’s a professor at Northwestern University.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Yet neither of these stories fits the timing or scale of the decline.
    — J. Travis Donahoe, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • These accusations are utter nonsense, concocted from distortions, half-truths and lies.
    — Kathleen Parker, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Throughout history, pogroms and persecution were fueled by lies that portrayed Jews as less than human.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • There have always been short books, some traditionally noted as novellas (20,000-40,000 words), yet not marketed as such.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The series currently encompasses nine sub-series arcs, standalone novels, novellas, English-language manga and graphic novels.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Boswell was found guilty on all counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and improper disposal of human remains in October 2020, and was sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2021.
    — Samantha Bergeson, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Holmes in 2022 was convicted of three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for deceiving investors.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Wildwood is a dark tale, with whispers of a witch, set against the beautiful yet formidable backdrop of rural New England.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In Park Slope, for example, the whispers start even before the first leaf turns.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Russian attack on Kyiv included three ballistic missiles carrying cluster munitions -- bombs that open in the air and release scores of smaller bomblets, Zelenskyy said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Gritsyuk and Hischier each scored their fifth goal of the season, with Jesper Bratt assisting on both scores.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Follow the latest numbers, including data breakdowns by party and tallies in states with competitive Senate battlegrounds.
    — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The data firm’s proprietary MIV figure tallies the impact of relevant media placements on online, social and print, inclusive of paid, owned and earned mediums.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Tales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tales. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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