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.
Isaac Asimov notably wrote three big series of books and short stories: the Foundation series, the Galactic Empire series, and the Robot series (as in I, Robot). Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025 His exuberant new novel, The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter, packs the punch of his short stories, dramatizing a real-life unsolved murder, both a homage to Hollywood noir and a meditation on how and why our deepest connections can betray us. Book Marks august 14, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025 All that's really missing is A Game of You—which focuses on Barbie (a minor character introduced in A Doll's House) trying to save her magical dream realm from the evil forces of the Cuckoo—and a handful of standalone short stories. ArsTechnica, 8 Aug. 2025 Last year, Penguin Random House published Lee’s first collection of short stories translated into English, Snowy Day & Other Stories. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 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 20 Aug. 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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