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
Clive Barker's adaptation of his own novella, The Hellbound Heart, introduced us to one of the scariest cinematic baddies, Pinhead, leader of a group of sadomasochistic demonic beings who are summoned by humans either accidentally or in pursuit of pleasures of their own.
—
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
There’s a novella of a wine list, with by-the-glass options obscurely scrawled on a mirror above the bar.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
The movie is based on Don Winslow’s 2021 novella and will release in theaters.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
The Irish actor, 29, leads A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a new Game of Thrones spinoff series based on a series of novellas by Martin, 77, that follows naïve knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Claffey) and his squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).
—Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for novella
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
There’s a novella of a wine list, with by-the-glass options obscurely scrawled on a mirror above the bar.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
The movie is based on Don Winslow’s 2021 novella and will release in theaters.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
The Irish actor, 29, leads A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a new Game of Thrones spinoff series based on a series of novellas by Martin, 77, that follows naïve knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Claffey) and his squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).
—Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for novella
Recent Examples of Synonyms for novella
Noun
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Evelyn, like so many of her neighbors, owns a chapter in this tale.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Feel-good tale about a young female governor?—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the past year, their silence broken by the abolition of the police force, residents have started trading stories.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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This week was an exception, as Ronaldo became a story for not playing a game.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Novella.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/novella. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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