short story

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 Owen Egerton adapted the screenplay for Whistle from his own short story. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 May 2025 Emily Dean directs this wildly inventive period adaptation of Siobhan Carroll’s short story. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025 The composer's second best musical Tony win stemmed from Applause, which was based on the film All About Eve and the Mary Orr short story The Wisdom of Eve. EW.com, 16 May 2025 From a Dashiell Hammett short story to a Catherine Mack novel, California islands play a starring role in mysteries and thrillers of all kinds. Jackie Burrell, Mercury News, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for short story
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short story
Noun
  • The story splits its time between young Wash's misadventures and the older, adult Wash's tale of first love with a biracial woman, Tanna (Iola Evans), and a brush with danger in the form of bounty hunter, Willard (Billy Boyd).
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 20 May 2025
  • While the sight of Lamia carrying around the proud cockerel has the makings of an image straight out of a children’s tale, nothing in the little girl’s life has storybook qualities.
    Tomris Laffly, Variety, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
    Tommy McArdle, People.com, 19 May 2025
  • There had been several bad news stories in recent years.
    James Montague, New York Times, 18 May 2025
Noun
  • Few people likely associate Oscar Wilde’s famed 1890 novella The Picture of Dorian Gray with the tech-laden, scroll-heavy social media of the 21st century.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 May 2025
  • But then came her debut in Parineeta, with her role based on a well-rounded character in a popular novella.
    Sunil Sadarangani, Deadline, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • Patriotism became a litmus test, and scholars who applied their expertise to offer critical analyses of America’s revered narratives were suspected of harboring a dangerous un-American ideology.
    Time, Time, 20 May 2025
  • So that was probably reflected more in the narrative.
    Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 20 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short%20story. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on short story

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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