story
noun
a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the hearer or reader; tale.
Showing results for story.
Search instead for
storying.
story
1 American
[stawr-ee, stohr-ee]
/ ˈstɔr i, ˈstoʊr i /
noun
-
stories
plural
-
a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the hearer or reader; tale.
-
a fictitious tale, shorter and less elaborate than a novel.
-
such narratives or tales as a branch of literature.
song and story.
-
the plot or succession of incidents of a novel, poem, drama, etc..
The characterizations were good, but the story was weak.
-
a narration of an incident or a series of events or an example of these that is or may be narrated, as an anecdote, joke, etc.
- Synonyms:
- recital
-
a narration of the events in the life of a person or the existence of a thing, or such events as a subject for narration.
the story of medicine; the story of his life.
-
a report or account of a matter; statement or allegation.
The story goes that he rejected the offer.
- Synonyms:
- description
-
a lie or fabrication.
What he said about himself turned out to be a story.
-
Obsolete. history.
verb (used with object)
storied,
storying
-
to ornament with pictured scenes, as from history or legend.
-
Obsolete. to tell the history or story of.
story
2
American
[stawr-ee, stohr-ee]
/ ˈstɔr i, ˈstoʊr i /
especially British,
storey
noun
-
stories
plural
-
a complete horizontal section of a building, having one continuous or practically continuous floor.
-
the set of rooms on the same floor or level of a building.
-
any major horizontal architectural division, as of a façade or the wall of a nave.
-
a layer.
Story
3
American
[stawr-ee, stohr-ee]
/ ˈstɔr i, ˈstoʊr i /
noun
-
Joseph, 1779–1845, U.S. jurist.
-
William Wetmore 1819–95, U.S. sculptor and poet.
story
1
British
/ ˈstɔːrɪ /
noun
-
a narration of a chain of events told or written in prose or verse
-
Also called: short story. a piece of fiction, briefer and usually less detailed than a novel
-
Also called: story line. the plot of a book, film, etc
-
an event that could be the subject of a narrative
-
a report or statement on a matter or event
-
the event or material for such a report
-
informal a lie, fib, or untruth
-
to leave out details in a narration
-
informal the familiar or regular course of events
-
it is commonly said or believed
verb
story
2
British
/ ˈstɔːrɪ /
noun
story
Idioms
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of story1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English stori(e), store, “(written or oral) narrative; history,” from Anglo-French (e)storie ( Old French estoire), from Latin historia history
Origin of story2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English stori(e), from Anglo-Latin (hi)storia architecture term for a picture decorating a building, a part of the building so decorated, hence floor, story, from Latin historia history
Explanation
If your little brother begs you to tell him a story, he wants to hear a short, entertaining tale. A narrative about people and events, usually including an interesting plot, is a story. A story can be fictional or true, and it can be written, read aloud, or made up on the spot. Journalists write stories for newspapers, and gossips spread stories that may or may not be true. A story can be historical; the root of story, the Latin word historia, means both "history" and "story."
Vocabulary lists containing story
Structural Engineering
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Foundational Reading
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Creative Writing - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
"I think she wants her story to be: I made a difference," Giuffra said.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
The story here is about the strange relationships that form in the wake of devastating loss, and an examination of the unpredictable, messy and confusing connections often found between people experiencing grief.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
The bubble story survives because it flatters people who can’t beat the market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
But on Tuesday, their story became a circle.
From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2026
I lean back into my seat and he leans back, too, setting in to tell me a story.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
But for now, you can pretty much guarantee that ‘Toy Story 5,’ a return to form for the franchise, and the latest Laika film, ‘Wildwood,’ are in.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
James Story, a former US ambassador and founder of Global Frontier Advisors consultancy, said there's potential for sharing intelligence and financial and banking information.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
Julia Zimmerman, a postdoctoral researcher in UVM's Computational Story Lab and a co-author of the study, said the three newly identified dimensions reflect experiences that are fundamental to human life.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
“Question number one in a new U.S. Congress will be: Why Betancourt?” said former Ambassador James Story, who served as the top U.S. diplomat in Caracas from 2018 to 2023, in an interview.
From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026
Nyame picked up the Story Box and hugged it to his chest.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
At first, still thinking of ourselves as making a magazine, we uploaded full “issues” of a dozen or so stories over the office modem on Friday nights.
From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2026
He also formed a small band of raiders whose bond endures and whose interlinked stories form this saga of passion and betrayal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
They’re largely tired, she said, of watching Hollywood “recycle the same material over and over again,” and want to bring new stories to the table.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
Our journalism examined power and politics, questioned assumptions, surfaced stories that deserved attention and made room for perspectives that were too often overlooked.
From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026
Newspapers in the nineteenth century often copied stories from each other.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
A reorganization of Sequoia Capital was intended to make the storied venture firm “able to play offense” in a world of rapid, AI-driven change, partner Pat Grady said at the WSJ Tech conference Wednesday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
The abrupt demise of the storied white-shoe law firm with some 1,200 lawyers is sending shock waves through the legal job market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
Stewart, the storied actor whose performances spanned comic book films, Shakespearean stage productions and sci-fi TV, died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
The storied company is struggling with a costly shift to electric vehicles at a time of patchy demand while intense Chinese competition eats away at market share.
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026
I have never spoken this many words in a row to Margo in our long and storied relationship, but here it is, my last play for her.
From "Paper Towns" by John Green
I mean this book doesn't do a lot of war storying.
From The New Yorker ● Oct. 17, 2018
Behold now! of my godhead I will make Thy senses burn with vision, storying The spirit of woman growing from loved to love.
From Emblems Of Love by Lascelles Abercrombie
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
