short story

Definition of short storynext
as in tale
a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel her very first short story was accepted for publication in a local journal

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 short story What prompted you then to revisit his short story year? Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 10 June 2026 The project grew out of a short story Sophia wrote in college inspired by observing her younger brother’s teenage years in New York. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 8 June 2026 An extended chapter of Hector on a shoot in Argentina could stand by itself as a wonderful short story about male ego, vanity, desire and loyalty. John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026 Eligible works include novels, short story collections and graphic novels, including translations, written by women and non-binary authors. Shyla Watson, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for short story
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short story
Noun
  • One tree may have even witnessed the grisly moment told of in tall tales, which gave Hangman's Gulch its name, but sadly, the tree recently died and had to be cut down for the safety of trail users.
    Olivia Young, CBS News, 19 June 2026
  • China has two films in the main competition, the 2025 $215m box office hit Nobody by Shui Yu, and Tana, a contemporary tale about a young woman who leaves Shanghai to support her ailing father in Inner Mongolia.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.
    Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 20 June 2026
  • This is a developing story and will be updated.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • The acclaimed Project Hail Mary is Amazon’s sci-fi spectacular, The Sheep Detectives is a mystery-comedy for kids and American author Don Winslow’s novella Crime 101 is its detective drama with Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Halle Berry in the lead roles.
    Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • During his time in Lawrence, Peterson was short with explanations for his absences or altogether disinterested in providing any, a public-facing strategy that allowed others to take control of the narrative.
    Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026
  • SpaceX went public on June 12, with AI central to its IPO narrative.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short%20story. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

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