a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.
stories or matter of this kind.
realm of myth.
any invented story, idea, or concept.
His account of the event is pure myth.
an imaginary or fictitious thing or person.
an unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution.
mythological.
mythology.
a person or thing whose existence is fictional or unproven
(in modern literature) a theme or character type embodying an idea
Hemingway's myth of the male hero
philosophy (esp in the writings of Plato) an allegory or parable
mythological
mythology
See legend.
First recorded in 1820–30; from Late Latin mȳthus, from Greek mŷthos “story, word”
A myth is a story that’s told again and again and serves to explain why something is the way it is. A creation myth, for example, is a story that tells how the world came into being. You may have studied Greek or Roman myths in which gods and goddesses wage war and play tricks on each other. These myths are not necessarily true stories from the past — the main idea is that they explain certain ideas about the world and how people act. The story might be accepted as true and serve to explain some fact about the world, or it might be known to be made-up but nevertheless illustrates something about people or history.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"The biggest myth about grief is that it happens in neat, orderly stages and that you eventually get over it," said Dawson.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
But as in a two-for-one, if you can be sold on the myth that AI is superhuman, it travels along with the idea that regular humans are disposable.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026
The theory that buying is always better, over time, is a myth.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
The enduring myth of the tower as a site of cruel torments has a lot to do with Ainsworth’s melodramatic novel, which adapts the true story of Lady Jane Grey, the “nine days queen.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
And before that a myth, a poem of what his father had been, what fathers could be, what place we took in the story of our people.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
“It’s a very powerful myth. It’s almost like the American dream — it’s a myth. But a lot of people think it’s an entitlement: ‘Where’s my American dream?’
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
“At first they didn’t believe it, and people thought it was a mistake or a myth. But sightings just kept coming!”
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2023
“Sometimes we buy into our own model minority myth. Why did we choose not to talk about this movement, arguably the first of its kind?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2022
"Let me be the bridge to an America that only the unknowing call myth." he said.
From BBC ● Dec. 5, 2021
“The alchemical worm Ouroboros of ancient myth. Its teeth are sunk in its tail.”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
Sem-Sandberg marveled at Carson’s use of the myths, characters, stories and fables from that time, and the way she puts them into a modern context.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
She said in communities where myths existed around screening, time is also required to explain what is involved and allay fears and potentially work with interpreters.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
The historian’s duty, Mr. Sebag Montefiore writes, is to the facts, “but the fables and myths are important parts of the history too.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
In the remaining lore, myths recur of episodes of runaway planetary temperature changes, hot and cold, as well as a series of volcanic blasts that changed the globe.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
I tried to remember what I knew about Calypso from the old myths.
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
