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Synonyms

short story

American  

noun

  • short stories
    plural
  1. a piece of prose fiction, usually under 10,000 words.


short story British  

noun

  1. a prose narrative of shorter length than the novel, esp one that concentrates on a single theme

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Nouns

Etymology

Origin of short story

First recorded in 1885–90

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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Cheers to the Eugene, Ore., airport for offering a free short story dispenser in conjunction with the Eugene Public Library.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 28, 2026

A Florida English professor is suing her former public college, alleging she was fired after its president objected to an award-winning short story she assigned in a freshman literature course.

From Salon Aug. 2, 2026

Celyn Jones said it was like a "homecoming" and a "culture moment" taking part in the film adaptation of the Dylan Thomas short story.

From BBC Jul. 29, 2026

Her debut, the short story collection “Battleborn” in 2012, set her on a trajectory of accolades; 2021’s “I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness,” was an L.A.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 22, 2026

A sculpture of a man’s head sat in front of the expansive windows, and thanks to the small illustration on the cover of the short story collection Hollister had given Emily, she recognized it immediately.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

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