Synonyms for parable
Most common
Definitions
- n. 1
A short narrative illustrating a lesson (usually religious/moral) by comparison or analogy.
Catholic homilies normally draw on at least one Biblical lecture, often parables.
Forms
- Plural
- parables → allegories, fables, stories, myths…
Choose the right word
The allegory, parable, or fable tells its story as if true, leaving the reader or hearer to discover its fictitious character and learn its lesson.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- fable Who doesn't know the fable "The Fox and the Grapes"?
- allegory That's an allegory. Do you know what that is?
- parabola What are the zeros of this parabola?
- similitude The similitude of the princess to the former queen was striking.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| parable | rising | |
| fable | steady | |
| allegory | rising | |
| apologue | falling | |
| parabola | steady | |
| similitude | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- myth1
- 5 letters
- story2, fable2
- 8 letters
- allegory4, parabola4, exemplum3, apologue
- 10 letters
- similitude
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (story2 = 2 syllables).