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.
He was inspired by short stories by Liu Yichang. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 May 2026 The Foundation does this through a number of programs, including a writer-in-residence program, a short story contest, and the two high school writing competitions. Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026 Make your own greeting card at On Paper or drop 50 cents in a gumball machine for a short story from Prologue Bookshop. Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 13 May 2026 In 1944, Warren had published this story—that is, the story of Mastern’s life and Burden’s inability to write about it—as a short story in Partisan Review. Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 12 May 2026 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 16 May. 2026.

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster