as in stories
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
Relevance
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 stories
As a writer, Kluge was known mainly for his short stories and works of social criticism.
—
Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
Sultan’s latest posthumous collection shifts the focus to the artist’s mostly unpublished writings, which include his musings on teaching and art, unfinished short stories, dream logs, and essays.
—Vanity Fair, 26 Mar. 2026
While Capote was still a child writing his first short stories in Monroeville, Alabama, Darger was a middle-aged hospital janitor in Chicago quietly filling his tiny apartment with hundreds of paintings and drawings and thousands and thousands of pages of writing.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The writer and performer composes poems, short stories and plays that highlight joys and contend with struggles.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 13 Mar. 2026
Sadly, male readership of novels and short stories is at a historic low.
—Literary Hub, 4 Mar. 2026
My novels are in a major key, but my short stories tend to be in a minor key.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
For her, the little pink houses of our decaying American mythology are still haunted enough to give her a few more good short stories.
—Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
Reading often inspires her to write short stories that imitate the voice of an author.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026
Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
Sultan’s latest posthumous collection shifts the focus to the artist’s mostly unpublished writings, which include his musings on teaching and art, unfinished short stories, dream logs, and essays.
—Vanity Fair, 26 Mar. 2026
While Capote was still a child writing his first short stories in Monroeville, Alabama, Darger was a middle-aged hospital janitor in Chicago quietly filling his tiny apartment with hundreds of paintings and drawings and thousands and thousands of pages of writing.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The writer and performer composes poems, short stories and plays that highlight joys and contend with struggles.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 13 Mar. 2026
Sadly, male readership of novels and short stories is at a historic low.
—Literary Hub, 4 Mar. 2026
My novels are in a major key, but my short stories tend to be in a minor key.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
For her, the little pink houses of our decaying American mythology are still haunted enough to give her a few more good short stories.
—Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
Reading often inspires her to write short stories that imitate the voice of an author.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short stories
Noun
-
For more than four decades, the Korean immigrant has worked at the shop near Travis Air Force Base, hearing countless stories of loss, sacrifice and heartbreak from military families and service members.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Paxton told stories about running for office for the first time and his 2023 impeachment.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
One of Bob Markle’s favorite tales had its setting a few years before World War II, when, except for walking, the only access to northern Wisconsin’s back country was by old logging railways.—
Dave Duffey,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Share a story from your own experiences, then take in someone else’s tales.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Stern has also published four collections of stories, four novellas, and two children’s books, all of them steeped in Jewish folklore.—
Cathleen Schine,
The New York Review of Books,
19 Mar. 2026
-
For reading widely, there’s discovery to be had among novellas, which thanks to their short length can get away with being weird and different.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Short stories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short%20stories. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
