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Synonyms

fabled

American  
[fey-buhld] / ˈfeɪ bəld /

adjective

  1. celebrated in fables.

    a fabled goddess of the wood.

  2. having no real existence; fictitious.

    a fabled chest of gold.


fabled British  
/ ˈfeɪbəld /

adjective

  1. made famous in fable

  2. fictitious

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of fabled

First recorded in 1730–40; fable + -ed 3

Explanation

Something that's fabled is very well-known through stories or word-of-mouth, especially for its excellence or rarity. It's worth planning an all-day visit to a museum with a fabled art collection. Some fabled things are legendary by virtue of having actual legends, fables, or myths mention them. You might read about the fabled Greek gods, for example. Other things or people are fabled because you've heard them mentioned in conversation — their reputation proceeds them, like your dad's fabled chocolate chip cookies. Coined around 1600, fabled first meant "invented" or "unreal," from the Latin root fabula, "story."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing fabled

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.

On that fabled date in 1967, The Beatles performed a live rendition of “All You Need Is Love” on the Our World global simulcast.

From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026

It isn’t the first time Delta’s fabled operation has faltered.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

Now, Florida Southern College, the fabled Frank Lloyd Wright–designed campus that citrus money made, didn’t even offer a citrus management program.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

Cardinal Pizzaballa's office said it was "the first time in centuries" a Latin Patriarch had been turned away from the holy site on Palm Sunday, which marks Christ's fabled return to Jerusalem.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

No horse in Pimlico’s fabled and lengthy history, through thousands of races dating back to just after the Civil War, had ever run the distance so fast.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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