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 Fittingly, his songs often play like short stories, sketches, and vignettes. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 13 Jan. 2026 Rising reimagines the short story The Fall of the House of Usher and boasts a cast that includes Rourke, Greene, Ice-T, Vincent Young and Kelly Monrow. Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 12 Jan. 2026 The History of Sound (2024) is a collection of interconnected short stories following two young men in the World War I era who fall in love. Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026 The story does not unfold as a typical narrative, but in a series of scenes that feel distinct yet unified, like a collection of short stories. John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for short story
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short story
Noun
  • For a cautionary tale, look no further than Kraft Heinz, formed by a mega-merger in 2015.
    Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026
  • The series, the tale of a wealthy family forced to start from scratch in the middle-of-nowhere town of the title, amassed a cult following during the pandemic.
    Meriam Bouarrouj, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Beyond the famous spaceships, X-Wing and TIE Fighter also brought compelling stories set in the Star Wars universe, alongside technical advancements like fully 3D graphics in place of the bitmap sprites of previous titles.
    Alan Bradley, Space.com, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Ludwig wrote in an Instagram story sharing the news on Thursday.
    Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • And since Freida McFadden’s book series that the movie is based on has three installments (plus one novella), this may not be the end.
    Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 6 Jan. 2026
  • The Art of Conjuring is the first novella to be released by the press.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Their position ignored the Ukrainian perspective on the issue, thus excluding Ukrainians as the affected party from understanding and communicating current and historical narratives.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • In-line guidance did little to change that narrative, which has been hurting the stock.
    Jeff Marks, CNBC, 29 Jan. 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 1 Feb. 2026.

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