as in allegory
a story intended to teach a basic truth or moral about life
the parable in which the repentant sinner is compared to the returning prodigal son who is welcomed home
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Recent Examples of parable
Sufi saints used stories, parables and allegories to teach spiritual truths.
—
Sonya Rehman, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
While Jesus may have used parables and the Apostle Paul used letters, Francis used social media to spread the Gospel.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025
Entire chapters of the gospels are devoted to Jesus’s sermons, parables, and private conversations with His disciples.
—Dominic Pino, National Review, 20 Apr. 2025
Netflix's sci-fi anthology series mines our modern age for thought-provoking (and often terrifying) parables.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for parable
Sonya Rehman, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
While Jesus may have used parables and the Apostle Paul used letters, Francis used social media to spread the Gospel.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025
Entire chapters of the gospels are devoted to Jesus’s sermons, parables, and private conversations with His disciples.
—Dominic Pino, National Review, 20 Apr. 2025
Netflix's sci-fi anthology series mines our modern age for thought-provoking (and often terrifying) parables.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for parable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parable
Noun
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In its pleasantly complicated world-building, the series manages to be a shrewd political thriller, a cracking adventure, and a haunting religious allegory rolled into one.—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
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Now, over two decades later, 28 Years Later breathes new life into the franchise’s infection allegory in a world that is still recovering from a years-long global pandemic.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
16 June 2025
Noun
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Like all great fables, Brown’s story is deceptively simple.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
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Image Her necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings feature realistically wrought fauna — the fables’ foxes, monkeys, crows, cats and so on.—
Chantel Tattoli,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Both Van Poppel and Taylor, who injured his shoulder in a bar fight in 1993 and never reached the major leagues, are cautionary tales on the dangers of taking a high school pitcher in the first round.—
Melissa Lockard,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
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Sula by Toni Morrison Toni Morrison’s suite of stunning historical novels includes Beloved, A Mercy, and this 1973 tale of a friendship between Sula Peace and Nel Wright.—
Mia Barzilay Freund,
Vogue,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Parable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parable. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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