Meaning & use

parable

noun·Academic

A short, simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.

See it in a sentence

The teacher told a parable about a shepherd to explain the value of patience.

Many of the sayings attributed to religious teachers take the form of a parable.

A note on using this word

A parable teaches a lesson through an everyday story, unlike a fable, which typically uses animals as characters.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “parable”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.