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 The centerpiece of this movie — and what blew me away in the play, as read by Strong — is the absolutely unhinged monologue Jackie delivers, reading from her short stories. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 May 2026 The script is based on a short story by Sean Lewis. Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 2026 Inspired by a short story from Welsh poet and author Dylan Thomas, the film is said to follow a young boy sent to spend one summer with his charismatic and wildly eccentric grandfather on a remote Welsh farm. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026 Eugène de Rastignac is a recurring character in La Comédie humaine, a series of interconnected novels and short stories by the French writer Honoré de Balzac that take place in and around post-revolutionary Paris. Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for short story
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short story
Noun
  • That’s easier to accomplish the further the plot moves away from a diplomatic incident involving several national institutions and toward an occasionally absurd — but absorbing and well-paced — tale of individuals in over their heads.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 8 May 2026
  • San Diego County can once again be a model of fiscal responsibility — not a cautionary tale.
    Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • Galvin later confronted the man who had messaged Kianna, who told her several different stories, according to Childs’ report.
    Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
  • This story was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
    Stacker, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
Noun
  • Can wrote her first novella, Yellow Mud Street (1987), at her sewing machine in between taking care of customers.
    René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
  • Kent has also written the screenplay which is adapted from a 1973 science fiction novella by American writer James Tiptree, Jr (real name Alice B Sheldon).
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • The newest data fits a trend, alongside news that Chicago once again has the country’s busiest airfield and is a top tourist destination, disproving the narrative that the city is shrinking, said Erin Connelly, communication director for Mayor Brandon Johnson.
    Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
  • That failure is as much a problem of form as of substance, because to break out of the apolitical bubble of personalities is also to break out of the iridescent bubble of elegant narrative.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 May 2026

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“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short%20story. Accessed 15 May. 2026.

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