plural stories
1
a
: an account of incidents or events
The movie is based on a true story.
I'll tell you later, It's a long story. [=it's too complicated to explain]
b
: a statement regarding the facts pertinent to a situation in question
The police were not convinced by the suspect's story.
c
: anecdote
especially
: an amusing one
2
a
: a fictional narrative shorter than a novel
specifically
: short story
b
: the intrigue or plot of a narrative or dramatic work
3
: a widely circulated rumor
the story going around
6
: a news article or broadcast
7
a
: matter, situation
We lost power and it's the same story throughout the city.
She got good grades in math but history was another story. [=she did not do well in history]
Nothing has changed. It's the same old story.
The food is great, but that's only half the story. The entertainment is excellent, too.
b
: background information that clarifies a situation or affair
What's the story on this deal?
8
storied; storying
1
: to adorn with a story or a scene from history
2
archaic
: to narrate or describe in story
variants
or less commonly storey
plural stories also storeys
1
a
: the space in a building between two adjacent floor levels or between a floor and the roof
b
: a set of rooms in such a space
c
: a unit of measure equal to the height of the story of a building
one story high
2
: a horizontal division of a building's exterior not necessarily corresponding exactly with the stories within
Examples of story in a Sentence
Noun (1)
he's a talented writer, but his quirky stories will never find a wide readership
Grandpa is always telling stories about what it was like growing up on a farm
a story in the morning paper about plans for a new library
gave us the whole story of the accident
stories going around that the old man had died with thousands of dollars hidden under his mattress
she tells stories just to get attention, so don't believe that stuff about her father being somebody important
the story proceeds at a pace that many readers will find a bit too leisurely
management is trying to figure out what the story is with the accident down in the warehouse
Recent Examples on the Web
Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
The event will feature stories from veterans and their families, patriotic music and updates from groups serving local veterans, such as the nonprofit Honor Flight and Patriot Guard.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
Andrew McGowan, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
The two Californians’ parallel careers launched in San Francisco nearly three decades ago with the city’s storied political kingpin, Willie Brown, mentoring both.
—Dan Walters, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for story
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Noun
However, amid the series’ release, Murdaugh has denounced the dramatization of his family’s tragic story.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
The event will feature stories from veterans and their families, patriotic music and updates from groups serving local veterans, such as the nonprofit Honor Flight and Patriot Guard.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
Hughes and Casciato’s new documentary will chronicle Moyers’ storied life and career.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
The two Californians’ parallel careers launched in San Francisco nearly three decades ago with the city’s storied political kingpin, Willie Brown, mentoring both.
—Dan Walters, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for story
Cite this Entry
“Story.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/story. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
story
2 of 2 noun
variants
also storey
ˈstōr-ē,
ˈstȯr-
plural stories also storeys
: a set of rooms or an area making up one floor level of a building
Etymology
Noun
Middle English storie "tale," from early French estoire, estorie (same meaning), from Latin historia "tale, history"
Noun
Middle English storie, from Latin historia "tale, illustration, story of a building," from earlier Latin, "tale, history"; probably so called from the use of narrative paintings on the window levels of medieval buildings
Biographical Definition
Story
2 of 2biographical name (2)
William Wetmore 1819–1895 son of Joseph Story American sculptor
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