urban legend

NOUN

widely distributed untruth

Synonyms

WEAK

urban myth

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Officials now have the unenviable task of euthanising the creepy-crawlies, an insect so hardy it spawned an urban legend they could survive a nuclear blast.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

But she garnered urban legend status for making the call to kill off one major and beloved character.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026

The story may be an urban legend, but it illustrates a real danger of artificial intelligence.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

There’s a certain category of urban legend that only spreads via overworked, working-class uncles.

From Salon • Jan. 14, 2026

Sure, I hung out around Red Witch Bridge in the middle of the night, but that was in the cover of the trees with an urban legend and a baseball bat as weapons.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia