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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

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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 title story from her short story collection, Waiting for the Long Night Moon, won the 2021 Indigenous Voices Award for Unpublished Prose. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026 Ron Perlman, Elizabeth McGovern, Wes Studi and Dane DiLiegro round out the cast for the project that began its life as a viral short story. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026 Drama Understudy, based on author Nicholas Binge‘s short story, has been set up at the streamer for development with Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Steven Yeun executive producing. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026 Roderick In Poe’s famous short story The Fall of the House of Usher, Roderick Usher is a melancholy recluse who believes his haunted mansion is the cause of his deteriorating health. — Anna Earl, Parents, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for short story
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short story
  1. tale
  2. story
  3. novella
  4. narrative
Noun
  • But as with many such tales of extraordinary success, the origin story is much darker.
    — Tracy Weber, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Still, this increasingly eerie repertory pick is phenomenally made science fiction and not to be missed by anyone who thinks the tale of a Cold War-era supercomputer demonstrating a shockingly plausible doomsday might be for them.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of tale
Noun
  • Makary's time at the agency was defined by scientific disputes, leadership changes and a string of media stories detailing low morale and internal dysfunction among staffers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
  • There’s a story there, a complicated and disturbing one, but the new Netflix film Unabomber won’t be the one to give it to us.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of story
Noun
  • The novella was written in a moment when much was changing in India.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The company is working on a feature adaptation of Pulitzer Prize finalist Torrey Peters’ novella Stag Dance and a feature romantic comedy from Carly Usdin and Brittani Nichols featuring WNBA players Gabby Williams, Theresa Plaisance, and Syd Colson.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of novella
Noun
  • And the narrative not so long ago was that the artificial intelligence investing boom was a story that would last a year or two and ultimately prove disinflationary.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
  • In China, The Visible Hands is repositioning traditional crafts within the contemporary creative economy, offering women artisans a route to a stable income while preserving techniques and cultural narratives.
    — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of narrative

Browse Nearby Words

short stories
short story
short subject
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Cite this Entry

“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short%20story. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on short story

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about short story

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