Definition of storynext
1
as in tale
a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel he's a talented writer, but his quirky stories will never find a wide readership

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2
as in anecdote
a brief account of something interesting that happened especially to one personally Grandpa is always telling stories about what it was like growing up on a farm

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3
4
5
as in whisper
a rumor or report of a personal or sensational nature stories going around that the old man had died with thousands of dollars hidden under his mattress

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6
7
as in plot
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work the story proceeds at a pace that many readers will find a bit too leisurely

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8
as in situation
position with regard to conditions and circumstances management is trying to figure out what the story is with the accident down in the warehouse

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of story This story is shared in cooperation with Yale School of Medicine. Isabella Backman, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026 While retrospective scenes were not new to cinema (having been used in the 1939 adaptation of Wuthering Heights to great effect before), this was one of the first instances in a crime story. Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026 Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026 So to see David's name become part of that story today is incredibly special. Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for story
Recent Examples of Synonyms for story
Noun
  • This is the tale of how the relationship between Mbappe and PSG deteriorated to the point of a messy legal battle.
    Tom Burrows, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
  • After dinner the group of us started swapping tales from hunt camps, and Favre’s brother-in-law, Josh Ladner, pointed to the faded T-shirt Brett was wearing and shook his head.
    John B. Snow, Outdoor Life, 11 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • And people can integrate a lot of information.
    Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 16 June 2026
  • Details would not be shared for at least six months, Haynes said, citing a multi-board review process that must be completed before information can be released to the public.
    Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Exception reports that invoke RPA automation based on report values and PowerApps embedded into Power BI reports for enriched data with user commentary are leading examples of this evolution for analytics.
    Kim Bozzella, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Fans who purchase the film on digital can take a deep dive into the massive production with behind-the-scenes interviews, exclusive commentary, and deleted footage not seen in theaters.
    EW.com, EW.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Look for alcohol-free, subtle formulas the goal is a whisper of fragrance, not a perfume cloud that announces itself from across the room.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
  • In biergartens, servers carry trays where alcohol‑free helles — a traditional pale lager — sits shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the classic stuff, no longer ordered with a whisper or judgment.
    David Dickstein, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • Undoubtedly one of the toughest courses in the world, Shinnecock is a par-70 links-style course with uneven lies, deep rough along the fairway with random fescue, elevation changes and brutally difficult greens.
    Geoff Clark OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
  • Citizens become commodities; technology increases the power of an already powerful few; pop culture serves up mechanized slop; truth and lies commingle.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • Sydney and Skyler mostly communicate digitally, and Skyler functions entirely as a plot engine for Sydney.
    Rachel Handler, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
  • An ailing brother wanted to give his sister a 1-acre plot of land in Arizona.
    Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 9 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Namely, while classic tragicomedy places comedic figures in a tragic setting—pitting being against situation—newer navigations turn to intermedia to navigate both/and-ness.
    Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
  • Still, the situation as a whole is certainly problematic, said Craig Prescott in The Sunday Times.
    The Week UK, TheWeek, 14 June 2026
Noun
  • The Norwegian writer Vigdis Hjorth creates a whole world in very few pages in this novella-length work in which even the pacing of the narrative itself does so much of the storytelling.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
  • In this inventive, boundary-pushing follow-up to Detransition, Baby, one novella and three stories take on gender, transness and lives on the margins in all of their gorgeously complicated glory.
    Caroline Killilea, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Story.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/story. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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