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

Synonyms

• narrative
• novelette
• novella
• story
• tale
• yarn

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

The film is adapted from the short story by Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Proulx, which was originally published in The New Yorker in 1997. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2025

The Monkey — a hit horror thriller based on Stephen King’s short story from Longlegs director Osgood Perkins — is now available to rent for much less on digital streaming. —Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025

The streamer has ordered a limited series based on Edith Wharton’s classic novel The Age of Innocence and a drama based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s best-selling short story collection Unaccustomed Earth. —Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2025

My friend Vivi is reading her short story, and my friend Maria is haircutting and has been here a full 24 hours. —Jeremy Rellosa, Curbed, 10 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for short story

• aurore
• forbore
• outlawry
• pylori
• savoury
• signori
• signory
• vainglory
• accusatory
• admonitory
• ambulatory
• amendatory

Kids Definition

short story

noun

: a short work of fiction usually dealing with a few characters and a single event