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 History of Sound (2024) is a collection of interconnected short stories following two young men in the World War I era who fall in love. Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026 Their short stories have appeared in Bellingham Review and Sine Theta. Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026 The story does not unfold as a typical narrative, but in a series of scenes that feel distinct yet unified, like a collection of short stories. John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026 Each of Cicellis’s retellings transforms its myth into a short story set in mid-20th-century Greece, juxtaposing an ancient sense of fate against the messy uncertainty of modernity. Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 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 11 Jan. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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