as in tales
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
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Recent Examples of short stories
The original collection of short stories was published in 1950 and centered on Earth colonizing the Red Planet in a series of devastating expeditions, and its interactions with the world's psychic native inhabitants.
—
Jeff Spry, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The show is described as the first contemporary English language television series adaptation of Christie’s novels and short stories featuring Tommy and Tuppence.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 20 Aug. 2025
Essays, short stories, and poems metamorphose into works of choreography, short films, and, on several occasions now, projects that pull from both the digital world and the living environment.
—Joshua Bennett, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2025
But with a streamer in place this time around and an option that covers 18 novels and four short stories, Apple TV+ might just have a new franchise on its hands.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
Her short stories have appeared in All About Skin, African American Review, and Kweli Journal.
—A Dialogue, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025
The page should effectively and positively present the company via short stories about its values, mission, and culture by using real employee stories and testimonials.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Last year, Penguin Random House published Lee’s first collection of short stories translated into English, Snowy Day & Other Stories.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2025
Jeff Spry, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The show is described as the first contemporary English language television series adaptation of Christie’s novels and short stories featuring Tommy and Tuppence.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 20 Aug. 2025
Essays, short stories, and poems metamorphose into works of choreography, short films, and, on several occasions now, projects that pull from both the digital world and the living environment.
—Joshua Bennett, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2025
But with a streamer in place this time around and an option that covers 18 novels and four short stories, Apple TV+ might just have a new franchise on its hands.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
Her short stories have appeared in All About Skin, African American Review, and Kweli Journal.
—A Dialogue, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025
The page should effectively and positively present the company via short stories about its values, mission, and culture by using real employee stories and testimonials.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Last year, Penguin Random House published Lee’s first collection of short stories translated into English, Snowy Day & Other Stories.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short stories
Noun
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Their empires cracked, their shadows receded, and their names faded into cautionary tales.—
John Hope Bryant,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
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The mysterious spirit animal messengers that Ji-noo sends, a tiger and a magpie who represent the nobles and commoners of many Korean folk tales, needed to be otherworldly without being fully demonic.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
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While some among Democrats cast him as the party’s national leader and a natural choice for their 2028 nominee, conservative critics point to his past controversies, including other pay-for-play stories.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There are also plenty of collections that include novellas, so there are quite a few routes to consider.—
Kristen Arnett
August 21,
Literary Hub,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Short stories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short%20stories. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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