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.
Madison will reportedly portray twin sisters in a world where a mad prince (Prince Prospero in the original 1842 short story) welcomes wealthy elites into his castle as plague spreads across the land. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 4 June 2025 The novel starts with the original short story but then flashes back to the younger days of the parents, describing Serk’s World War II-era childhood as a Korean in Japan and Anne’s rootless life in America. Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 2 June 2025 To celebrate, for the third year in a row, the Literary Hub staff will be recommending a single short story, free* to read online, every (work) day of the month. Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 30 May 2025 One reason is his mastery of crescendo, especially in his short stories. Natasha Frost, New York Times, 22 May 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 9 Jun. 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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