myth

1
as in legend
a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature according to an ancient Greek myth, humans acquired fire from Prometheus, a Titan who had stolen it from heaven

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2
as in mythology
the body of customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings associated with a people, thing, or place over the years Davy Crockett evolved from an actual person to one of the great figures of American myth

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3

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 myth One part of that myth says there can be no Nazis here. Henry Leutwyler Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 20 May 2025 Set in a ghostly Himalayan town, the movie is billed as an exploration of myth, memory, and places left behind. Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 16 May 2025 The Odyssey, the Oppenheimer director’s epic take on the classic Greek myth, will shoot entirely on Imax film cameras, a first for a commercial feature. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025 Note to Leaders: Put a moratorium on secrets, myths, and gossip. Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for myth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for myth
Noun
  • Their bodies were never found, so their legend lives on.
    Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • Listen to this article 3 min With Reggie Miller on the call, the Indiana Pacers paid homage to their franchise legend on Wednesday night.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • Beneath that dizzying madness, McQuarrie introduced a progressively more labyrinthine mythology, knitting the installments together in ways plausible and not, and expanding Hunt from impressive spy to a more elemental force.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025
  • Loosely inspired by the songstresses from Greek mythology, Netflix's Sirens is a funny, moving exploration of femininity and class.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • The entire space was stunned by the illusion of water gushing and animals moving toward the audience.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 28 May 2025
  • Donald Trump started selling the illusion of exclusivity half a century ago.
    Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 27 May 2025
Noun
  • But even more than that, Joe wants to be the hero of this warped fable.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 16 May 2025
  • The exhibition at DuSable Black History Museum features works made by Nazareno in response to Brazilian fables that that draw inspiration from the pantheon of Orixás–a system of entities worshipped in parts of Africa and Latin America.
    Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Interestingly, many of these states have deep traditions of folklore and supernatural narratives.
    DeVonne Goode, Parents, 23 May 2025
  • Micky van de Ven’s acrobatic goal-line clearance will go down in Spurs folklore.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • But planted within that picture was a glimmer of hope — or maybe delusion — for Sabres fans.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 22 May 2025
  • Researchers noted the positive effects of ecstatic epilepsy and synthesized fifty-three theoretical models of delusion.
    Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • The weeklong beach vacation is a longstanding tradition in many Southern families.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 May 2025
  • More and more people are adjusting tradition to find something that suits them better.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • Only one major-league third baseman, the San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado, has more errors than Muncy’s eight through his first 49 games of the season.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 27 May 2025
  • The poll of 1,136 Democrats carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.89 percentage points.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Myth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/myth. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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