as in tale
a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel
pressed for time, many English teachers have their students read the one novella among the novelist's works
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Recent Examples of novella
It’s adapted from Denis Johnson’s novella and follows Robert Grainier, a logger working on the railroad that will cross the United States, at the turn of the 20th century.
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David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025
In fact, the term Kafkaesque — which describes a bizarre, nightmarish situation where alienation and a lack of control permeate — is perhaps best applied to this novella.
—Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
In some ways, that question is secondary to the fact that Lot 49 grapples with the nature of symbology itself, and the way that symbols work in literature, which contributed to the novella as good syllabus fodder.
—Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
The story is a timeless novella of love, jealousy, betrayal and tragic death, traditionally set during 1847 colonial Spain.
—Lisa Vernon Sparks, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for novella
David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025
In fact, the term Kafkaesque — which describes a bizarre, nightmarish situation where alienation and a lack of control permeate — is perhaps best applied to this novella.
—Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
In some ways, that question is secondary to the fact that Lot 49 grapples with the nature of symbology itself, and the way that symbols work in literature, which contributed to the novella as good syllabus fodder.
—Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
The story is a timeless novella of love, jealousy, betrayal and tragic death, traditionally set during 1847 colonial Spain.
—Lisa Vernon Sparks, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for novella
Recent Examples of Synonyms for novella
Noun
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This funny tale of unlikely heroism can be enjoyed either as a read-aloud or as a confidence booster for newly independent readers.—
Caroline Carlson,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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The tale away from the playing field in recent years has been dizzying, one of soaring costs and debts, of quirks and chicanery unseen elsewhere.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The real story of the Elizabethan succession was altogether darker and more turbulent than Camden’s fiction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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This is the web version of Fortune Tech, a daily newsletter breaking down the biggest players and stories shaping the future.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Novella.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/novella. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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