urban legend

noun

: an often lurid story or anecdote that is based on hearsay and widely circulated as true
the urban legend of alligators living in the sewers

called also urban myth

Examples of urban legend in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Graduate student Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) summons the urban legend boogeyman known as Candyman (Tony Todd) into existence, unleashing a torrent of pain and death against the backdrop of urban decay in a Chicago housing project. Meagan Navarro, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024 The tales shared on the show were adaptations of public domain fairy tales, urban legends and short stories that were brought to life by an impressive young cast that included Ross Hull, Daniel DeSanto and JoAnna Garcia Swisher. Angela Andaloro, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024 The plot follows a group of law enforcement officers investigating a series of mysterious murders connected to the infamous Route 666, blending supernatural elements with urban legend for a suspenseful ride through the dark history of the road. Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 5 Oct. 2024 The film — about a white graduate student researching an urban legend about a Black son of a slave who was lynched for falling in love with a white woman — offers complex questions for viewers to ponder. EW.com, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for urban legend 

Word History

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of urban legend was in 1968

Dictionary Entries Near urban legend

Cite this Entry

“Urban legend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urban%20legend. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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