a story, usually for children, about elves, hobgoblins, dragons, fairies, or other magical creatures.
an incredible or misleading statement, account, or belief.
His story of being a millionaire is just a fairy tale.
of, relating to, or suggesting a fairy tale.
a fairy-tale castle.
idealized or romantic, often to an unrealistic extent.
Many people still want to believe in true love and fairy-tale endings.
of or relating to a fairy tale
resembling a fairy tale, esp in being extremely happy or fortunate
a true story with a fairy-tale ending
highly improbable
he came out with a fairy-tale account of his achievements
a story about fairies or other mythical or magical beings, esp one of traditional origin told to children
a highly improbable account
First recorded in 1740–50
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For those who really read it without the false sense of reverence imbued by generations, Homer’s poem has the feel of a fairy tale.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
They call themselves "sperm sisters" and together are exploring their new found sisterhood and described meeting for the first time as "like a fairy tale, it felt so magical – there were tears of joy".
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
It seems like a magical retirement fairy tale: Even as you spend money in retirement, your nest egg continues to grow.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026
Clothes and accessories so elevated, they seem like a fairy tale.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
I had always assumed they were our generation’s version of a fairy tale.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
Gleiberman added that the film "truly delivers 'Moana' - the beauty, the comic personality, the fairy-tale enchantment", and described Johnson's "fit" for the film as "perfect".
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Watch the cautionary tale about the perils of the transfer portal turn into a fairy-tale comeback.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
Pictures show an exterior that conjures up images of a fairy-tale cottage hidden away among the trees, while the interior is a vibrant rainbow of colors, textures, and decor.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 17, 2026
The term for Jean and Stephen, Julian says, is “rekindlers”—though they turn out to be “non-rekindlers,” as intractable problems impose a sad outcome on their fairy-tale romance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026
Ivy always drew the most beautiful artwork—her specialty was fairy-tale palaces covered in leafy vines that perfectly matched Ivy’s name.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
