short story

noun

: an invented prose narrative shorter than a novel usually dealing with a few characters and aiming at unity of effect and often concentrating on the creation of mood rather than plot

Synonyms of short story

• tale
• story
• novella
• narrative

Examples of short story in a Sentence

her very first short story was accepted for publication in a local journal

Recent Examples on the Web

La Presse said that a 2012 short story by Orelien had plagiarized passages from a book by French author Louis Pauwels, while a 2013 opinion piece copied from The Philippine Star newspaper. — CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026

In total, Higgins Clark wrote over 40 suspense novels, four collections of short stories, a historical novel, a memoir, and two children’s books. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026

So begins this week’s short story, about a woman who can’t stop imagining her dad having sex with a wild mustang. — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026

The film, a touching adaptation of an 1852 Turgenev short story of the same name, features an unconventional cast directed by a seasoned documentarian. — James Folta, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for short story

• aurore
• forbore
• outlawry
• pylori
• savoury
• signori
• signory
• vainglory
• accusatory
• admonitory
• ambulatory
• amendatory

Kids Definition

short story

noun

: a short work of fiction usually dealing with a few characters and a single event