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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
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
The short story centers a sorceress (Jovovich) who must travel to the dangerous Lost Lands alongside her guide (Bautista) to find a magical power that allows someone to transform into a werewolf.
—Charlotte Walsh, Peoplemag, 27 May 2024
The Nobel Prize-winning author Alice Munro, who died on May 14, specialized in exacting short stories that were novelistic in scope, spanning decades with intimacy and precision.
—New York Times, 23 May 2024
Stephen King is out with a new collection of short stories.
—Courtney Dorning, NPR, 22 May 2024
He can currently be seen in two of four of Anderson’s shorts based on the Roald Dahl short stories, The Swan and The Rat Catcher.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for short story
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'short story.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1861, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near short story
Cite this Entry
“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/short%20story. Accessed 8 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
short story
noun
: a short work of fiction usually dealing with a few characters and a single event
More from Merriam-Webster on short story
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about short story
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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