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

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 So begins this week’s short story, about a woman who can’t stop imagining her dad having sex with a wild mustang. — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026 The film, a touching adaptation of an 1852 Turgenev short story of the same name, features an unconventional cast directed by a seasoned documentarian. — James Folta, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2026 Atlanta author Lydia Mathis’ literary debut features candid, revealing short stories. — Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 20 Sep. 2026 Bowing at least year’s Toronto, a home-run from Isabel Coixet, Adapting a short story collection by Italy’s Michela Murgia, who died of cancer at 51. — Callum McLennan, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for short story
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short story
Noun
  • Then on Wednesday morning, Luna reunited with her owners thanks to the efforts of local rescuers, tourists and park employees, capping a survival tale that required avoiding bears and coyotes while locating enough sustenance and shelter.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That level of control precluded a Vatican media operation from spinning tall tales as occurred during John Paul's reign.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Same Curve, Every Time Skeptics have been telling this story for a hundred years.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But all that warm, crowd-pleasing material is incongruously, fascinatingly, and not so comfortably fitted inside a story about great loss.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Based on his 1986 novella The Hellbound Heart, Barker wrote and directed the first Hellraiser movie the following year, introducing audiences to Pinhead (Doug Bradley) and his Cenobites.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Late Fame was adapted faithfully from the Austrian writer Arthur Schnitzler’s late nineteenth-century novella, itself a recent recovery, but the transposition to the present functions only up until this point.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But what sticks is the potential of fanfic narratives, born of the desire to see resonant characters in new dynamics and situations.
    — Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The narrative was that the property insurance market was being crushed by litigation, fraudulent claims, contractors and, yes, the lawyers who represented policyholders.
    — Matthew T. Christ, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short%20story. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on short story

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster