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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
And came across a short story by your wife on the internet.
—Ayad Akhtar, The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 2024
Villeneuve's 2016 sci-fi film Arrival (which earned him his first and so far only Oscar nomination for Best Director) was based on a short story by Ted Chiang — fans might do well to expect more projects like that from Villeneuve's post-Dune career.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 2 Dec. 2024
Based on a short story by Hedges, the film’s plot is being kept under wraps.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 29 Nov. 2024
Bradford got her start as a journalist, writing short stories and columns for local magazines in her teens.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 26 Nov. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1861, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near short story
Cite this Entry
“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/short%20story. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about short story
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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