short story

noun

: an invented prose narrative shorter than a novel usually dealing with a few characters and aiming at unity of effect and often concentrating on the creation of mood rather than plot

Examples of short story in a Sentence

her very first short story was accepted for publication in a local journal
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In the short story, a drifter impersonates a missing girl to rob the girl’s family — only to realize she’s made a terrible mistake. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2025 Upon its announcement, the title — a line from a John Cheever short story — became divisive online. Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025 Baum penned numerous novels and short stories, poems, and scripts. Nancy Olson, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 This volume contains his Nebula Award-winner for best short story with the same name as the book’s title. The Know, The Denver Post, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for short story

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of short story was in 1861

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Cite this Entry

“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/short%20story. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

short story

noun
: a short work of fiction usually dealing with a few characters and a single event

More from Merriam-Webster on short story

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