short stories

noun

plural of short story
as in stories
a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel her very first short story was accepted for publication in a local journal

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of short stories The location is where famed writer Edgar Allan Poe began penning short stories and launched his literary career in the 1830s. — CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026 In total, Higgins Clark wrote over 40 suspense novels, four collections of short stories, a historical novel, a memoir, and two children’s books. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026 Atlanta author Lydia Mathis’ literary debut features candid, revealing short stories. — Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 20 Sep. 2026 The original lyrical idea for this came from me reading Damon Runyon books, short stories based in the ‘30s and ‘40s. — Craig Rosen, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Her poetry, essays, and short stories have appeared in various publications and anthologies including the New York Times, Take the Mic, Color Outside the Lines, Vampires Never Get Old and A Universe of Wishes. — Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026 In fact, studies have found that readers sometimes prefer ChatGPT’s prose or short stories to the human variety—but sour on them when informed about the AI’s involvement. — Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026 According to EduTopia, putting images and short stories or quotes around the classroom can inspire students and give them a greater sense of belonging. — Sacbee.com, 24 Aug. 2026 The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty Published in 1980, this collection brings together Mississippi writer Eudora Welty’s celebrated short stories, all teeming with her sensitive eye for details and landscapes. — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short stories
  1. stories
  2. tales
  3. novellas
Noun
  • The Middle East Monitor, which brands itself as supportive of the Palestinian cause, had published at least 21 stories under bylines OpenAI said were fake including Hoskins, Michael Harrison, Jenny Williams and Alice Johnson.
    — Miriam Waldvogel, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Kapoor will lead the creative direction, with Balaji retaining the underlying IP while tapping YouTube’s global distribution and advertising business — a savvy expansion that doesn’t involve surrendering ownership of her stories.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of stories
Noun
  • Flanagan is the prolific horror writer-director who has tackled several Stephen King tales (Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, Carrie) and delivered several limited series hits for Netflix (Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher).
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • How did the zombie go from being an emblem of enslavement and loss of autonomy in Haitian Vodou to the favorite flesh-eating grotesquerie of postapocalyptic tales?
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of tales
Noun
  • There have always been short books, some traditionally noted as novellas (20,000-40,000 words), yet not marketed as such.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The series currently encompasses nine sub-series arcs, standalone novels, novellas, English-language manga and graphic novels.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of novellas

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short stories
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Cite this Entry

“Short stories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short%20stories. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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