tall tale
A stretched yarn where the truth gets bigger every telling.
Also called yarn, big windy.
Updated September 24, 2026
tall tale pronunciation
/TAWL tayl/
Meaning
An exaggerated story told for fun, not for court. On porches, at the feed store, and around campfires, rural Southern and Appalachian talkers turn a fishing trip or a hunt into something nobody quite believes and everybody wants to hear again. The fish gets longer. The storm gets meaner. The dog gets smarter. Folks call it lying with a wink.
How folks use it
- “Granddaddy spun a tall tale about a catfish that nearly pulled the boat under.”
- “That hunting story of his is a tall tale, but I'll sit still for it every Thanksgiving.”
Origin and etymology
English has used "tall" for exaggerated talk since the 1800s. In Appalachia the form thrives as porch yarns, Jack tales, and liars' contests where stretching the truth is the sport. Mountain families pass the same stories down, each teller adding a little more size.
Frequently asked questions
Is a tall tale the same as a lie?
It's a lie told for entertainment. Everybody knows the fish wasn't that big. That's the point.