story
1 of 3noun (1)
sto·ry ˈstȯr-ē 
plural stories
1
a
: an account of incidents or events
b
: a statement regarding the facts pertinent to a situation in question
c
: anecdote
especially : an amusing one
2
a
: a fictional narrative shorter than a novel
specifically : short story
b
: the intrigue or plot of a narrative or dramatic work
3
: a widely circulated rumor
4
: lie, falsehood
5
: legend, romance
6
: a news article or broadcast
7
: matter, situation
8
archaic
a
: history sense 1
b
: history sense 3
storylike
ˈstȯr-ē-ˌlīk
adjective or story-like
storylike narratives
story
2 of 3verb
storied; storying
transitive verb
1
: to adorn with a story or a scene from history
2
archaic : to narrate or describe in story
story
3 of 3noun (2)
ˈstȯr-ē
variants or less commonly storey
plural stories also storeys
1
a
: the space in a building between two adjacent floor levels or between a floor and the roof
b
: a set of rooms in such a space
c
: a unit of measure equal to the height of the story of a building
one story high
2
: a horizontal division of a building's exterior not necessarily corresponding exactly with the stories within
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- narrative
- novelette
- novella
- short story
- tale
- yarn
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Molly Robey, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2023 Return to Seoul is a story of adoption and belonging that resists easy sentimentality. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2023 His is an unbelievable story: McClung has played mostly in the G League. —Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 18 Feb. 2023 Dan Campbell and the 9-8 Lions were the best story of the second half. —Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Feb. 2023 His is an unbelievable story: McClung has played mostly in the G League. —Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2023 Might there be a worthwhile story in which Pooh and Piglet, all grown up and demonic, stalk and murder trespassers in their woodland home? —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2023 This is a Canadian story, told by Canadian filmmakers, who treat the whole loony affair as a matter of national pride. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 17 Feb. 2023 This is a developing story, so check back for updates. —Spencer Norris, Sun Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2023 Chronicle Staff, SFChronicle.com, 1 Jan. 2021 See More
Noun
Returning warmth is the main story today with partly sunny skies. —Molly Robey, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2023 Return to Seoul is a story of adoption and belonging that resists easy sentimentality. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2023 His is an unbelievable story: McClung has played mostly in the G League. —Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 18 Feb. 2023 Dan Campbell and the 9-8 Lions were the best story of the second half. —Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Feb. 2023 His is an unbelievable story: McClung has played mostly in the G League. —Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2023 Might there be a worthwhile story in which Pooh and Piglet, all grown up and demonic, stalk and murder trespassers in their woodland home? —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2023 This is a Canadian story, told by Canadian filmmakers, who treat the whole loony affair as a matter of national pride. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 17 Feb. 2023 This is a developing story, so check back for updates. —Spencer Norris, Sun Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2023 Verb
The aquarium loaned the hospital, which is operated by Monterey County, a large freezer normally used in its animal husbandry clinic, and it’s now used to story the life-saving vaccine. —Chronicle Staff, SFChronicle.com, 1 Jan. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English storie, from Anglo-French estoire, estorie, from Latin historia — more at history
Noun (2)
Middle English storie, from Medieval Latin historia narrative, illustration, story of a building, from Latin, history, tale; probably from narrative friezes on the window level of medieval buildings
First Known Use
Noun (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 8a
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Noun (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing story
Kids Definition
story
1 of 2 noun sto·ry ˈstōr-ē
ˈstȯr-
plural stories
1
a
: an account of incidents or events
b
: anecdote
2
a
: a fictional tale shorter than a novel
especially : short story
b
: the main tale of a written work
3
: a widely told rumor
4
: fib, lie, falsehood
5
: a news article or broadcast
story
2 of 2 noun variants also storey
ˈstōr-ē,
ˈstȯr-
plural stories also storeys
: a set of rooms or an area making up one floor level of a building
Biographical Definition
Story 1 of 2
biographical name (1)
Sto·ry ˈstȯr-ē
Joseph 1779–1845 American jurist
Story
2 of 2biographical name (2)
William Wetmore 1819–1895 son of Joseph Story American sculptor
story
noun
1
as in tale
a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel he's a talented writer, but his quirky stories will never find a wide readership Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- tale
- novella
- narrative
- yarn
- history
- short story
- fable
- anecdote
- novelette
- joke
- myth
- romance
- parable
- legend
- report
- chronicle
- record
- annals
- folktale
- fairy tale
- bedtime story
- exemplum
- account
2
as in anecdote
a brief account of something interesting that happened especially to one personally Grandpa is always telling stories about what it was like growing up on a farm Synonyms & Similar Words
- tale
- anecdote
- yarn
- incident
- episode
- happening
- occurrence
- event
- recitation
- recital
3
as in news
a report of recent events or facts not previously known a story in the morning paper about plans for a new library Synonyms & Similar Words
- news
- information
- info
- announcement
- item
- rumor
- tale
- advice(s)
- message
- tidings
- intelligence
- word
- gen
- uncos
- reportage
- 411
- communication
- bulletin
- tip
- tidbit
- correspondence
- dispatch
- feedback
- scoop
- gossip
- tattle
- dope
- propaganda
- titbit
- lowdown
- disinformation
4
as in chronology
a relating of events usually in the order in which they happened gave us the whole story of the accident Synonyms & Similar Words
- chronology
- history
- narrative
- tale
- narration
- account
- version
- chronicle
- record
- report
- memoir
- commentary
- diary
- commentaries
- saga
- testimony
- anecdote
- documentation
- witness
- blog
- journal
- testimonial
- romance
- testament
- log
- annals
- minutes
- epic
- deposition
- yarn
- logbook
- recitation
- recital
- case history
- procès-verbal
- geste
- case study
- gest
5
as in whisper
a rumor or report of a personal or sensational nature stories going around that the old man had died with thousands of dollars hidden under his mattress Synonyms & Similar Words
- tale
- whisper
- canard
- lie
- fable
- talk
- gossip
- tattle
- libel
- slander
- hearsay
- defamation
- scuttlebutt
- talebearing
- fairy tale
- fib
- fabrication
- dirty linen
- dirty laundry
- whopper
- dirt
- prevarication
- untruth
- mendacity
- falsehood
- falsity
6
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive she tells stories just to get attention, so don't believe that stuff about her father being somebody important Synonyms & Similar Words
- lie
- tale
- fable
- fiction
- fabrication
- fairy tale
- fib
- prevarication
- whopper
- untruth
- mendacity
- distortion
- falsehood
- ambiguity
- exaggeration
- tarradiddle
- taradiddle
- falsity
- defamation
- myth
- fraudulence
- libel
- nonsense
- slander
- pose
- deceit
- bluff
- half-truth
- misrepresentation
- perjury
- obliquity
- equivocation
- misconception
- jive
- misinformation
- canard
- misstatement
- fallacy
- duplicity
- falsification
- deceitfulness
- dishonesty
- pretence
- pretense
- humbug
- misreport
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- truth
- fact
- veracity
- truthfulness
- honesty
- confirmation
- truism
- verification
- validation
- verity
- authentication
- substantiation
7
as in plot
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work the story proceeds at a pace that many readers will find a bit too leisurely Synonyms & Similar Words
- plot
- action
- story line
- theme
- subplot
- subject
- arc
- development
- plan
- argument
- outline
- design
- scheme
- mythos
8
as in situation
position with regard to conditions and circumstances management is trying to figure out what the story is with the accident down in the warehouse Synonyms & Similar Words
- situation
- deal
- scene
- picture
- status
- posture
- ball game
- state
- footing
- standing
- rank
- score
- place
- spot
- status quo
Phrases Containing story
- moving
- moving (to)
- moving average
- moving cluster
- moving force
- moving force/spirit
- moving in
- native dog
- native flax
- native fuchsia
- native guava
- native hen
- native hop
- native juniper
- native land
- native laurel
- native lime
- native millet
- native mistletoe
- native mulberry
- native myrtle
- native olive
- native orange
- native peach
- native pear