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.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This year they have taken that myth further than ever, and Media Matters for America put a number on exactly how far.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
The idea that homeownership is somehow a necessity, an essential step to building wealth, is mostly a myth.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
Its findings may reveal more about the dimensions of America’s practice of executing the innocent and show that it is anything but a myth.
From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026
The name comes from the boy in the Greek myth who flew too close to the sun.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
All this gushing adds to the myth of Kareem in my mother’s matrimonial fancy—the suitable boy, the boy with tameez, the one boy to rule them all.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
“It’s the opposite of the conventional myth. The least-diverse films performed the worst and even posted a negative return on the studio’s investment.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2024
“It’s kind of an urban myth. I mean, does it happen? Yes. Percentage wise, is it significant? No,” she said.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 11, 2023
“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
"The trouble is," says Prof Wessely, "it's not true. There's no evidence to support it. It's a myth. It's quite a useful myth because there is some evidence that a decompression period can help."
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2022
“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
Or did they fall prey to the old myths of its transcendency?
From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026
There is a timelessness to Mitchell’s work, thanks in large part to the ancient source material, the myths of Orpheus, Eurydice, Hades and Persephone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
It recounts the titular hero's 10-year quest to return home from war and includes some of the most famous Ancient Greek myths, including one-eyed monster Cyclops and the Sirens.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
Like other national myths, this is all a mix of lies, truths and distortions of reality — and ideals and aspirations.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
Variations of this theory appear in medieval myths and folklore.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
