stories

plural of story
1
as in tales
a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel he's a talented writer, but his quirky stories will never find a wide readership

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2
as in anecdotes
a brief account of something interesting that happened especially to one personally Grandpa is always telling stories about what it was like growing up on a farm

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3
4
5
6
as in plots
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work the story proceeds at a pace that many readers will find a bit too leisurely

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7
as in situations
position with regard to conditions and circumstances management is trying to figure out what the story is with the accident down in the warehouse

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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 stories In the 2021 Senate runoff elections in Georgia, this writer did a number of stories following forecasts by Thomas Miller, a prominent data scientist who’s a professor at Northwestern University. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026 Yet neither of these stories fits the timing or scale of the decline. — J. Travis Donahoe, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026 Reproducing the motif of a couple posed before a family home became a way of telling stories about migration for artists like Walter Ellison. — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 As well as sharing some insight into the Earthshot Prize and his family life, William helped act as a judge for audience members who came up to the stage to tell their funniest stories. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026 Her stories have appeared in Alaska Quarterly Review, Colorado Review, and Passages North, among many others. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026 Newsletter Weekdays The 7 Catch up quickly with a rundown of the 7 most important and interesting stories. — Elahe Izadi, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026 People love spy stories, but there is nothing amusing, or romantic, about this one. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 17 Oct. 2026 Most Sherlock Holmes stories are mysteries – intricate, complex and brilliantly written. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stories
Noun
  • If Crystal and Ellis had stayed on that tack — tales about the house at 860 bound together by a sense of its loss — 860 might have the sturdiness of a tearjerker.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
  • On the surface, his new album Antione’s Son is the same old same old—airy melodies, drug talk, vomiting ad-libs—but punched up by suburban ennui and in-the-weeds romantic tales that makes the music feel refreshingly personal.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Flynn McGuire, a physical rehabilitation doctor at the University of Utah and an author of the review, said anecdotes about people having miraculous recoveries are even less reliable.
    — Amy Maxmen, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Many commenters share personal anecdotes and express enjoyment of the museum's concept, highlighting its ability to entertain and provoke laughter.
    — Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • One of the best actors working today, Coon essentially plays two different sides of Rita with astonishing range across these chronologies, portraying the past and the present of her character through distinctive markers.
    — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • And so those chronologies are really important for me in each one of these investigations.
    — Terry Gross, NPR, 5 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The whispers about their similarities intensified on the announcement of the engagement of Crown Prince Hussein, son of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, to Rajwa in August 2022.
    — Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 17 Oct. 2026
  • High prices also a factor But despite positive weather news and whispers of an abundance of crab, other factors could affect prices in adverse ways for consumers.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • These accusations are utter nonsense, concocted from distortions, half-truths and lies.
    — Kathleen Parker, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Throughout history, pogroms and persecution were fueled by lies that portrayed Jews as less than human.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Beneath the spy plots, then, is a fond portrait of a group of people held in perpetual disgrace for their shortcomings, and thus forced to find individual paths to redemption.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Montanez noted that the case appears to be unusual because mass shooting plots are most often conceived and carried out by male suspects.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Several situations can turn an otherwise promising credit card debt payoff strategy into a costly mistake.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Containing the ground game could put Seattle in predictable passing situations, giving the Chiefs a chance to pressure Darnold and force mistakes.
    — Neil Nakahodo, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • There have always been short books, some traditionally noted as novellas (20,000-40,000 words), yet not marketed as such.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The series currently encompasses nine sub-series arcs, standalone novels, novellas, English-language manga and graphic novels.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Stories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stories. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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