Entry Word: story

Function: noun

Meaning: 1 a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel <if you go right to bed, Daddy will read a story to you>

Synonyms narrative, novelette, novella, short story, tale, yarn

Related Words exemplum, fable, parable; anecdote, joke; fairy tale, folktale, legend, myth, romance; account, annals, chronicle, history, record, report

2 a brief account of something interesting that happened especially to one personally <Grandpa is always telling stories about what it was like growing up on a farm>

Synonyms anecdote, tale, yarn

Related Words episode, event, happening, incident, occurrence; recital, recitation

3 a report of recent events or facts not previously known <a story in the morning paper about plans for a new library> — see news
4 a relating of events usually in the order in which they happened <gave us the whole story of the accident> — see account 1
5 a rumor or report of a personal or sensational nature <stories going around that the old man had died with thousands of dollars hidden under his mattress> — see tale 1
6 a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive <she tells stories just to get attention, so donʼt believe that stuff about her father being somebody important> — see lie