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
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 Queen’s Museum is based on the original short story, The Queen’s Museum by Frank Stockton, first published in January 1906, and adapted by musician and playwright Mark Adamczyk. Gina Grillo, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2025 And then there are the short stories, which are almost like little miracles. Literary Hub, 17 July 2025 The Six Days of the Condor author — whose book became the Robert Redford film Three Days of the Condor and the current Max Irons TV series Condor — has published more than a dozen novels and three times that many short stories, and has also worked as a journalist and a scriptwriter for TV and film. Lizz Schumer, People.com, 16 July 2025 Choose a novel or short story collection that challenges your assumptions and stretches your perspective. Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes.com, 16 July 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

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Cite this Entry

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