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story

story

7.5
A lie told to avoid trouble
  • noun
  • /ˈstɔːri/
  • Informal
translation icon : mentira
  • Very simple reason their story keeps changing is because they are lying.
  • false story
  • just a story

She is your wife and her story is a lie.

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Examples

  • Facts are important for your story, so be sure to make up good ones.

    Academic text (2008)
  • He swallowed my story, hook, line and sinker.

  • It's a great story, but it's not what happened, is it?

  • I wasn't sure I was buying their story about a new job in California.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • That was her story, and she's sticking to it.

  • What's your story?

  • "Well, it's just a story that's not true," he murmured in agreement.

    Academic text (2017)
  • It was just a silly story about how he met a celebrity at a coffee shop.

  • She told me a funny story about her first day at school that didn't really happen.

  • His story about winning the lottery sounded too good to be true.

Synonyms

fiction
vsstory
271 2.0

A made-up story or statement that is not true

is a lie meant as falsehood rather than a created imaginative work
tale
vsstory
133 5.1

A false story someone tells, often small and harmless

is the same small lie but general, not limited to children
fib
vsstory
  • Informal
58 3.7

A small lie told to avoid hurting someone

is a small lie that emphasizes harmlessness rather than social excuse
tall tale
vsstory
  • Literature
19 4.0

A story that says things are bigger or more amazing than they really are to be funny

is a small harmless lie rather than a playful exaggerated fabrication
fairy tale
vsstory
  • Informal
15 3.4

A made-up story told to hide the truth or deceive people

is a small harmless lie rather than a broadly implausible excuse
fable
vsstory
10 4.9

A false story told to trick or impress people

is a small harmless lie rather than a deliberate mythic fabrication
fairytale
vsstory
  • Informal
10 4.6

A made-up story used to avoid blame or trick people

is a small harmless lie rather than a fanciful misleading narrative
cock-and-bull story
vsstory
  • Informal
1 6.3

An absurd lie used to avoid blame or trick someone

is a small harmless falsehood rather than an implausible excuse
fairy story
vsstory
  • UK
1 5.5

A made up story told to hide the truth

is a small harmless lie rather than a fanciful excuse-making account
tall story
vsstory
  • Informal
1 7.3

A made-up tale that is hard to believe

is a minor falsehood rather than an intentionally exaggerated yarn
tarradiddle
vsstory
  • Archaic
9.9

A small lie that is not serious

is the same minor lie but as a different word form
taradiddle
vsstory
  • Archaic
9.9

A small harmless lie told to amuse or avoid trouble

is the same minor falsehood expressed by another variant form
Fibber's tale
vsstory
  • Informal
9.7

A false story made to hide the truth

is a minor falsehood, not necessarily a large invented account
cock and bull story
vsstory
  • Informal
7.2

A false story people tell to hide the real reason

is a minor falsehood rather than a wildly implausible excuse
hogshit story
vsstory
  • Offensive
9.9

A silly story that is clearly false and hard to believe

is a minor harmless lie rather than an emphatically false absurd account
storytime
vsstory
  • Informal
7.0

A made-up or exaggerated story that is unlikely to be true

is a simple small lie rather than sarcastic exaggerated fabrication
whangdoodle of a story
vsstory
  • Archaic
9.9

A made-up story told in a big, exciting way to amuse people

is a minor lie aimed at harmless deception rather than pure entertainment

Antonyms

1.0

Something that can be shown to be true, not an opinion

1.0

A fact that shows how things really are

Idioms

what's the story
  • Informal
34 8.2

Asking for news or details about a person's situation informally

same old story
  • Informal
7 3.7

A situation that happens again and again and feels boring

end of story
  • Informal
1 5.3

A phrase that shows a decision is final and cannot be discussed

1 8.2

To ask for information about a person or situation

cool story bro
  • Offensive
9.9

A mocking reply that shows you think a story is boring or not important

Compounds

short story
  • Literature
105 2.3

A short piece of writing that focuses on one event or idea

news story
  • Literature
93 1.1

A report for newspapers, TV and websites about recent events

88 1.9

A story, like a book or film, about love between the main characters

77 2.7

An interesting tale about events that makes people laugh

75 2.7

An account of events that really happened

58 1.9

A short story that makes people laugh

56 3.0

A story about a person or group who reaches a big goal and inspires others

53 2.1

An account of the events and experiences of a person's life

51 2.7

The true account of what happened, not rumors

lead story
  • Literature
33 3.0

The most important news story in a newspaper, on TV, or online

31 3.2

A story about ghosts that tries to scare or entertain

A complete, detailed report of events and facts

The reason and past events that explain why something happened

sob story
  • Informal
16 4.9

A story often exaggerated that tries to make people feel sorry for personal problems

breaking story
  • Specialized
13 3.2

A news report about an event happening now or that just happened

A lesson you learn from a story or event

detective story
  • Literature
7 2.4

A story about a person who solves a crime by following clues

wild story
  • Informal
7 4.6

A very exciting tale that is often not true

A book, play, or film about solving a crime, often a murder

A story with exciting, risky events about travel and danger

sensational story
  • Literature
2 4.3

A news article that shocks or excites people by making events seem bigger than they are

1 3.6

A lively story with bright, unusual details that make it interesting

1 6.3

An absurd lie used to avoid blame or trick someone

dirty story
  • Offensive
1 8.1

A joke or story about sex that people find rude

Something told or written in a way that grabs and keeps your attention

The story of the birth of Jesus in the Christian Bible

fairy story
  • Baby Talk
1 1.4

A story for children about fairies and magic

1 5.5

A made up story told to hide the truth

A made-up reason that pretends to be true to explain why something happens

tall story
  • Informal
1 7.3

A made-up tale that is hard to believe

shaggy dog story
  • Informal
1 8.8

A long, silly story that goes on and ends with no real punchline

blue story
  • Offensive
9.9

A rude joke about sex that can offend people

7.2

A false story people tell to hide the real reason

A very funny or exciting story that people enjoy

A story about a person who starts a business and their challenges and successes

hogshit story
  • Offensive
9.9

A silly story that is clearly false and hard to believe

A person or project that is likely to become successful

skiffy story
  • Slang
9.9

A light, often funny science fiction story

The personal experiences and events that make someone different from others

A made-up story told in a big, exciting way to amuse people

How Serious

fabrication
29 6.5
lie
2.7
story
  • Informal
7.5
white lie
  • Informal
18 3.4
to fib
  • Informal
4 3.9

Surface Forms

story singular
stories plural

Etymology

A helpful way to remember story meaning a small lie is to think of it as a short 'tale' from the same root historia. Because people often call a made-up tale a 'story', the word can also mean a harmless or simple lie.