apocryphal
Americanadjective
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of doubtful authorship or authenticity.
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Ecclesiastical.
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(initial capital letter) of or relating to the Apocrypha.
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of doubtful sanction; uncanonical.
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false; spurious.
He told an apocryphal story about the sword, but the truth was later revealed.
adjective
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of questionable authenticity
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(sometimes capital) of or like the Apocrypha
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untrue; counterfeit
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of apocryphal
First recorded in 1580–90; apocryph(a) + -al 1
Explanation
Urban legends — stories about phantom hitchhikers, deep-fried rats, and spider eggs in bubblegum — are classic examples of apocryphal tales. They're told as if they're true, but no one can ever verify their origins or authenticity. Today, any dubious or unverifiable story may be dismissed as apocryphal. Originally, however, apocryphal was reserved for religious writings that were not included in the Torah or the New Testament of the Bible because the divinity of the texts was not certain. These texts are known as the Apocrypha and are included in the Septuagint (a Greek version of the Hebrew Bible) and the Vulgate (a Latin Bible edited in the 4th century).
Vocabulary lists containing apocryphal
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Fake It 'Til You Make It: Synonyms for "False"
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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.
Havel tells the apocryphal story of a greengrocer who refuses to place a sign proclaiming “Workers of the world, unite!” in his shop window.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
This apocryphal lazybones is defined by two traits.
From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2026
What defines him instead are various quips, mordant jokes and accounts of bizarre behavior, many no doubt apocryphal, recorded by his admirers and detractors in the centuries after his death.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025
“The American Revolution” doesn’t just correct apocryphal errors and present fascinating blow-by-blows of key battles; it provides more dimension to major motivations and important incidents.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2025
The story may have been apocryphal, but it was also true that Permian football benefited from desegregation.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
