tale
noun
ˈtāl 
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
Sir Winston Churchill2
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
- canard
- story
- whisper
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 This tale of a gently dysfunctional family comically moving from one disaster to the next is enhanced by a perfectly melancholic soundtrack (Nico, Nick Drake, and Vince Guaraldi) and easy pace. Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 15 Sep. 2022 But the former Austin High coach does have a compelling tale to share with anyone who wants to take measure of the third-string quarterback who’s been thrust into the spotlight at Texas. Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, 14 Sep. 2022 But the latter — in a tale artists know all too well — was disrupted by the pandemic, leaving McCall and Hillard with an abundance of free time. Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2022 Conrad’s autobiographical tale of his first command, which turns out to be in a rowboat, fleeing a sinking ship with its cargo of burning coal. Riza Cruz, ELLE, 13 Sep. 2022 When a big-time Hollywood producer steals his class paper and turns it into a hit movie, no one believes Jason's latest tall tale. Chaise Sanders, Country Living, 13 Sep. 2022 The actress stepped out on the red carpet for the 74th annual Emmy Awards in a fairy-tale-esque dress, custom made from Oscar de la Renta. Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 12 Sep. 2022 Everything seems to point to an ancient tale that the new Enlightenment society would rather keep out of sight: A bloodthirsty upire – Slavic for vampire – seems to have infiltrated the monastery. John Hopewell, Variety, 12 Sep. 2022 In Search of Greatness — but here applies his fascination with skill and ambition, as well as the environment, for a narrative tale reminiscent of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Sep. 2022 See More
Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 15 Sep. 2022 But the former Austin High coach does have a compelling tale to share with anyone who wants to take measure of the third-string quarterback who’s been thrust into the spotlight at Texas. Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, 14 Sep. 2022 But the latter — in a tale artists know all too well — was disrupted by the pandemic, leaving McCall and Hillard with an abundance of free time. Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2022 Conrad’s autobiographical tale of his first command, which turns out to be in a rowboat, fleeing a sinking ship with its cargo of burning coal. Riza Cruz, ELLE, 13 Sep. 2022 When a big-time Hollywood producer steals his class paper and turns it into a hit movie, no one believes Jason's latest tall tale. Chaise Sanders, Country Living, 13 Sep. 2022 The actress stepped out on the red carpet for the 74th annual Emmy Awards in a fairy-tale-esque dress, custom made from Oscar de la Renta. Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 12 Sep. 2022 Everything seems to point to an ancient tale that the new Enlightenment society would rather keep out of sight: A bloodthirsty upire – Slavic for vampire – seems to have infiltrated the monastery. John Hopewell, Variety, 12 Sep. 2022 In Search of Greatness — but here applies his fascination with skill and ambition, as well as the environment, for a narrative tale reminiscent of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Sep. 2022 See More 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
Phrases Containing tale
Kids Definition
tale
noun
ˈtāl
1
: something told
He told a tale of woe.
2
: a story about an imaginary event
fairy tales
3
: lie entry 3
4
: a piece of harmful gossip
tale
noun
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- story
- whisper
- canard
- fable
- lie
- tattle
- talk
- gossip
- slander
- libel
- hearsay
- defamation
- scuttlebutt
- fib
- dirt
- talebearing
- fairy tale
- prevarication
- fabrication
- whopper
- falsehood
- untruth
- dirty linen
- mendacity
- dirty laundry
- falsity
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- story
- anecdote
- yarn
- incident
- occurrence
- episode
- happening
- event
- recitation
- recital
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- story
- lie
- fable
- fib
- fairy tale
- prevarication
- fabrication
- whopper
- falsehood
- mendacity
- untruth
- fiction
- falsity
- taradiddle
- tarradiddle
- exaggeration
- distortion
- ambiguity
- myth
- fraudulence
- nonsense
- defamation
- deceit
- slander
- libel
- obliquity
- half-truth
- equivocation
- perjury
- bluff
- misrepresentation
- pose
- misconception
- duplicity
- canard
- misinformation
- jive
- fallacy
- humbug
- misstatement
- falsification
- dishonesty
- pretense
- deceitfulness
- pretence
- misreport
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- truth
- fact
- truism
- truthfulness
- honesty
- veracity
- confirmation
- verification
- verity
- validation
- authentication
- substantiation
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- story
- novella
- narrative
- fable
- yarn
- history
- anecdote
- myth
- short story
- novelette
- joke
- legend
- parable
- romance
- annals
- chronicle
- record
- folktale
- report
- exemplum
- fairy tale
- bedtime story
- account
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- count
- tally
- score
- census
- amount
- whole
- recount
- total
- gross
- sum