1
as in tale
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 anecdote
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
as in whisper
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

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6
7
as in plot
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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8
as in situation
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 story Editor's note: This story is part of a series tracking the experiences of four graduating seniors at four different Michigan universities. Meg Vandermark, Freep.com, 5 July 2025 This story originally appeared on Vox and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Christine Peterson, Wired News, 5 July 2025 Instead of museum stories, this is a living legacy of knowledge that needs to be shared with the human family. Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 July 2025 For beautiful views of the Tennessee River and Wilson Dam, head to this greenspace with a scenic 1.3-mile trail along the waterfront with interpretive displays sharing stories about Florence’s history. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 5 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for story
Recent Examples of Synonyms for story
Noun
  • At least for now, the Saks story is no longer a tale about financing.
    Evan Clark, Footwear News, 7 July 2025
  • Sula by Toni Morrison Toni Morrison’s suite of stunning historical novels includes Beloved, A Mercy, and this 1973 tale of a friendship between Sula Peace and Nel Wright.
    Mia Barzilay Freund, Vogue, 7 July 2025
Noun
  • Here’s a chronology of some of the events that have rocked the company in the past six months.
    John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
  • Brennan focused more on analyzing evidence than on showing the chronology of events when questioning witnesses, as did the lead prosecutor in Read’s first trial.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 16 June 2025
Noun
  • On a sunlit slope above the Aegean, the ruins of an old Greek estate whisper stories of power, legacy, and familial pride.
    Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
  • What was once spoken only in whispers, if at all, by our mothers and grandmothers, is now trending on TikTok.
    Time, Time, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Of course, as with everything involved in this sextortion scam, that’s a lie.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
  • Newsom is seeking $787 million — the same amount that Fox News paid to settle a defamation suit with Dominion Voting Systems, a company that claimed the network repeatedly aired false allegations about its voting machines to boost Trump’s lies that the 2020 election was rigged.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • The number of politically motivated attacks and plots against government agents in just the past five years is three times higher than those in the previous 25 years combined, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
    Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • The family at the heart of the story run a tourism business allowing Cappadocia to feature in a way that naturally chimes with the narrative, but the connection between landscape and plot runs far deeper, series director Murat Saraçoğlu says.
    Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • So, the situation in Hungary is that no one knows what the rules actually are.
    Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 8 July 2025
  • The situation is so dire that to stay open, the shelter is asking Caldwell to increase its funding by 700%.
    Amaia Gavica July 8, Idaho Statesman, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • These are the stories that make up Room on the Sea, a trio of novellas from the Call Me by Your Name author, André Aciman.
    airmail.news, airmail.news, 5 July 2025
  • Originally assigned to George Lucas and working from a script by John Milius, the project was loosely based on Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness.
    Armond White, National Review, 4 July 2025
Noun
  • The Defense Department satellites were also the main source of real-time information about changes to sea ice.
    Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 28 June 2025
  • Prescribing information will now include warnings of the connection between the vaccines and a rare side effect that causes inflammation of the heart muscle and lining.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Story.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/story. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

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