story

1 of 3

noun (1)

sto·​ry ˈstȯr-ē How to pronounce story (audio)
plural stories
1
a
: an account of incidents or events
b
: a statement regarding the facts pertinent to a situation in question
c
: anecdote
especially : an amusing one
2
a
: a fictional narrative shorter than a novel
specifically : short story
b
: the intrigue or plot of a narrative or dramatic work
3
: a widely circulated rumor
4
5
6
: a news article or broadcast
7
8
storylike adjective
or story-like
storylike narratives

story

2 of 3

verb

storied; storying

transitive verb

1
: to adorn with a story or a scene from history
2
archaic : to narrate or describe in story

story

3 of 3

noun (2)

variants or less commonly storey
plural stories also storeys
1
a
: the space in a building between two adjacent floor levels or between a floor and the roof
b
: a set of rooms in such a space
c
: a unit of measure equal to the height of the story of a building
one story high
2
: a horizontal division of a building's exterior not necessarily corresponding exactly with the stories within

Examples of story in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This story is moving at breakneck speed, with more twists and plot changes than a season of HBO’s Succession, with a cast of characters to match. Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 19 Nov. 2023 This story first appeared in the Nov. 16 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Carol McColgin, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2023 Want more exclusive wine stories delivered to your inbox every Wednesday? Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 19 Nov. 2023 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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 19 Nov. 2023 Illustration: James O’Brien/Quanta Magazine The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. WIRED, 19 Nov. 2023 In the bustling aisles of a grocery store — amid fresh produce and neatly arranged shelves — exists a variety of food products, each with its own story and timeline. Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2023 This is a breaking news story that will be updated when more information becomes available. Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Nov. 2023 Some kids will love racing them, others will make up stories around them, and still others might like to crash them. Bridget Shirvell, Parents, 18 Nov. 2023
Verb
The Orient Express history is storied and about as complicated as Agatha Christie’s titular whodunit. Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2023 In the last couple of years, the 63-year-old has taken on the trappings of a Hollywood movie magnate, buying the former Paramount studio chief Robert Evans’s storied Beverly Hills mansion for $16 million, and sitting at Jack Warner’s desk in his office at the Warner Bros. lot. Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2023 View these images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest images for a glimpse into America’s varied, storied Indigenous cultures. Tracy Scott Forson, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Oct. 2023 Of course, figuring out how to strike a work/life balance hasn’t been Yawn’s only challenge in her decades-long and storied career. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 25 Sep. 2023 The narrative of cannabis in California is long and storied, and Lou Gibbes, one of the founders of Mothership, has been a part of its tapestry for over two decades. Joshua Adragna, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2023 Writer’s assistants are tasked with taking notes on everything discussed in a writers’ room, from pitches and jokes to story arcs and plot developments. Jennifer Swann, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023 In fact, a quick look back shows that baked goods have a long and storied history as a rebellious tool worldwide. Shelly Tan, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023 Volleyball's Success Nebraska volleyball has built a legacy as storied as the Cornhusker football team, winning five national championships, the most recent in 2017. Kolbe Nelson, CBS News, 30 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'story.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English storie, from Anglo-French estoire, estorie, from Latin historia — more at history

Noun (2)

Middle English storie, from Medieval Latin historia narrative, illustration, story of a building, from Latin, history, tale; probably from narrative friezes on the window level of medieval buildings

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 8a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of story was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near story

Cite this Entry

“Story.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/story. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

story

1 of 2 noun
sto·​ry ˈstōr-ē How to pronounce story (audio)
ˈstȯr-
plural stories
1
a
: an account of incidents or events
b
2
a
: a fictional tale shorter than a novel
especially : short story
b
: the main tale of a written work
3
: a widely told rumor
4
5
: a news article or broadcast

story

2 of 2 noun
variants also storey
ˈstōr-ē,
ˈstȯr-
plural stories also storeys
: a set of rooms or an area making up one floor level of a building
Etymology

Noun

Middle English storie "tale," from early French estoire, estorie (same meaning), from Latin historia "tale, history"

Noun

Middle English storie, from Latin historia "tale, illustration, story of a building," from earlier Latin, "tale, history"; probably so called from the use of narrative paintings on the window levels of medieval buildings

Biographical Definition

Story 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

Sto·​ry ˈstȯr-ē How to pronounce Story (audio)
Joseph 1779–1845 American jurist

Story

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

William Wetmore 1819–1895 son of Joseph Story American sculptor

More from Merriam-Webster on story

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