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
Roth expanded on the books with the 2014 short story collection Four, as well as the 2018 short We Can Be Mended, both of which were told from Four’s perspective.
—
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Apr. 2026
And what stood out to you in the short story?
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Indie horror darling David Bruckner has been tapped to direct the feature project that adapts the upcoming book by Marcus Kliewer and that was initially set up as short story in 2022.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Feeling neglected by Les, Lindy has struck up a retaliatory affair with his colleague Richie (O-T Fagbenle), who mistakenly submits one of her students’ short stories to The New Yorker as her own.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for short story
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Apr. 2026
And what stood out to you in the short story?
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Indie horror darling David Bruckner has been tapped to direct the feature project that adapts the upcoming book by Marcus Kliewer and that was initially set up as short story in 2022.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Feeling neglected by Les, Lindy has struck up a retaliatory affair with his colleague Richie (O-T Fagbenle), who mistakenly submits one of her students’ short stories to The New Yorker as her own.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for short story
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short story
Noun
-
The 2-panel chart below tells the tale.—
Carter Braxton Worth,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Whitman’s poetry and prose; Melville’s early romances of the sea, Typee, Omoo, and Mardi; three novels by Harriet Beecher Stowe, including Uncle Tom’s Cabin; and the complete tales and sketches of Nathaniel Hawthorne.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 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,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The opera, and the novella it is based on, were written in French.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The chiller is adapted from Elizabeth Engstrom’s cult 1980s novella of the same name.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Each of these archetypes serves a distinct narrative purpose.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
-
That means by the time an indictment is returned, the factual narrative typically reflects a backward-looking account of conduct that may stretch over a decade.—
Andrew S. Boutros,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short%20story. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
