short story

noun

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

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 story Hanks penned the play with James Glossman, with the plot based on a series of short stories written by Hanks in the book Uncommon Type. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026 This World of Tomorrow is based on a series of short stories written by Hanks. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026 King initially meant to write a short story after reading an article in Life magazine about telekinesis. — ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026 The location is where famed writer Edgar Allan Poe began penning short stories and launched his literary career in the 1830s. — CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for short story
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short story
  1. tale
  2. story
  3. novella
  4. narrative
Noun
  • Wildwood is a dark tale, with whispers of a witch, set against the beautiful yet formidable backdrop of rural New England.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The tale is energized by the thoughtful performances of Hanns Zischler, as Mann, and Sandra Hüller, as the author’s daughter Erika, who accompanies him while reviving conflicts from her own past.
    — Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of tale
Noun
  • Her campaign denies any involvement in the apparent Sullivan scheme, but the New York Times story and prior reporting could be used to call into question her fitness to serve.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The open arms welcoming of Algeria by its base camp in Lawrence became one of the World Cup’s feel-good stories.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of story
Noun
  • The show is inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film and Daphne du Maurier’s novella of the same name.
    — Joe Otterson, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
  • There are eight books total, but one is a collection of five prequel novellas.
    — Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of novella
Noun
  • Those narratives, of course, were only knowable after the fact.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Despite an occasional groan of narrative machinery, Vavrek ably repaces Saunders’s story line and carries its texty voices into song.
    — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of narrative

Browse Nearby Words

short stories
short story
short subject
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short%20story. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on short story

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about short story

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of wraith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All