short story

noun

Synonyms of short storynext
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The short stories cover various ground. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 23 Dec. 2025 Set between those two is the short story The Housemaid's Wedding. Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025 Given to a Canadian author of a novel or short story collection published in English (including translation) the previous year. Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025 While navigating a foggy, desolate Derry, Marge jumps behind the wheel of a milk truck, which may or may not be a nod to a pair of bizarre short stories collected in King's 1985 collection Skeleton Crew. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for short story

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of short story was in 1861

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/short%20story. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.

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

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