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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in chronologies
a relating of events usually in the order in which they happened
gave us the whole story of the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in whispers
a rumor or report of a personal or sensational nature
stories going around that the old man had died with thousands of dollars hidden under his mattress
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in lies
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
she tells stories just to get attention, so don't believe that stuff about her father being somebody important
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Here are two more stories of the subterranean, one sinister and one salty.
—
Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
Some clients said they were told to make up stories of abuse that became the crux of their lawsuit.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
The Denver Post reports on the impacts of gambling in Colorado and wants to hear your stories about betting on sports.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight.
—Isabel Fattal, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2026
Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
—Data Skrive, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Our tools are stories, faces, places, words, emotions.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
No one can have it when government officials selectively erase stories that historic places hold.
—Carol Quillen, Time, 21 Feb. 2026
They were selected after submitting their White Castle stories.
—ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
Some clients said they were told to make up stories of abuse that became the crux of their lawsuit.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
The Denver Post reports on the impacts of gambling in Colorado and wants to hear your stories about betting on sports.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight.
—Isabel Fattal, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2026
Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
—Data Skrive, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Our tools are stories, faces, places, words, emotions.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
No one can have it when government officials selectively erase stories that historic places hold.
—Carol Quillen, Time, 21 Feb. 2026
They were selected after submitting their White Castle stories.
—ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stories
Noun
-
While the story takes place in contemporary times, some of the characters have extraordinary gifts and tell tall tales of a world beyond the realm of most people.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Its accounts of outsize personalities, judges’ infighting, culturally insensitive photo shoots, manipulative producing, network executives betraying producers who in turn betrayed talent—all of this comes standard with tales from the annals of the entertainment industry.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Weir was always eager to share anecdotes about Garcia and their escapades.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2026
-
It is also filled with memorable anecdotes, and while some come from McCartney, many of the best come from band members like drummers Denny Seiwell and Joe English.—
Stuart Miller,
Oc Register,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Plaintiff attorneys have built similar tools capable of producing polished demand letters, medical chronologies, and settlement ranges using massive legal datasets.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
-
This requires a set of skills to interrogate the past by probing deeply, constructing and reconstructing chronologies, and contemplating counterfactuals in which different decisions might have significantly altered subsequent events.—
John T. Shaw,
Twin Cities,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The recent whispers were inspired by a resurfaced Comic-Con clip in which Claffey's 11-year-old costar, Dexter Sol Ansell, appears to confirm that the former Superman actor will appear in season 2 of AKOTSK.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Feb. 2026
-
To listen to these quiet galactic whispers, scientists need the right tools.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Newspaper headlines screamed that Welch had called out McCarthy for his cruelty, his ruthlessness and his lies.—
Kristen Monroe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
There is still time for a course correction, but not if the truth is drowned out with bullying and lies.—
Erick Erickson,
Oc Register,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Medinsky has written several history books that focus on exposing purported Western plots against Russia and denigrate Ukraine.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The club met regularly, held dances, and provided burial insurance and cemetery plots.—
Dorothy Roberts,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Thus, the robot can adapt to new situations without losing key properties of the movement, such as keeping a bottle vertical so as not to spill the contents, as per the press release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
-
As kids get older, this transparency can cross over into talking honestly about social situations, financial decisions, or household values and responsibilities.—
Dina Gachman,
Parents,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This anthology duo features interconnected novellas by Quinn, Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins, and Mia Ryan.—
Sara Netzley,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Jan. 2026
-
The Irish actor, 29, leads A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a new Game of Thrones spinoff series based on a series of novellas by Martin, 77, that follows naïve knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Claffey) and his squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stories. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
