# tall tale

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/tall-tale
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A tale or story which is fantastic and greatly exaggerated; also, an account of questionable veracity; a lie, an untruth.

## Examples

- He told a tall tale about catching a giant fish.
- Nobody believes his tall tale about winning the lottery twice.
- She tells a tall tale whenever she arrives late for work.
- The children listened with wide eyes as their grandfather spun a tall tale about his adventures in the jungle.
- My coworker often tells a tall tale about meeting famous actors to make his weekend sound more exciting than it actually was.
- The hiker shared a tall tale about escaping a hungry bear by climbing a tree that was only three feet high.
- You should take his stories with a grain of salt because he loves to spin a tall tale to impress new people.
- Despite his reputation for spinning a tall tale whenever he felt cornered, the witness insisted that his account of the evening was entirely accurate.

## Origin

From the adjective *tall*, in its specific sense of exaggerated, and the noun *tale*. The compound appeared in the mid-19th century to denote a narrative of improbable proportions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.