Definitions

old wives' tale

NOUN

superstition

Synonyms

WEAK

fairy story fallacy false belief folk tale folklore legend lore myth notion tall story tall tale

NOUN

popular belief

Synonyms

WEAK

allegory fable fallacy false belief false knowledge folklore legend lore moral myth parable story superstition superstitious belief tale tradition yarn

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Before leaving the podium, Harabedian recalled an old wives’ tale that he said would be familiar to anyone raised at the edge of the San Gabriel Mountains.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2025

Its government said that there were "no border violations by Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters", and described the accusation as an "old wives' tale".

From BBC • Aug. 10, 2023

Then I read a trick that sounded like it had to be an old wives' tale: Stick a piece of bread in your mouth.

From Salon • Jan. 27, 2022

On a happier note, there’s an old wives’ tale that if you put a piece of wedding cake under your pillow, you’ll dream about your future spouse.

From Washington Post • Sep. 6, 2021

“A nervous breakdown. I dislike that expression, it has a very old wives’ tale vibe to it.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie