long story short

adverb

Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, a relevant story.

“Anyway, long story short, I totally screwed up today.”

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Meanings

adverb
  1. idiomaticIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, a relevant story.

    Anyway, long story short, I totally screwed up today.

    4 more examples

    Sitting on a park bench / Years away from fighting / Ah, to cut a long story short, I lost my mind

    1981, “To Cut a Long Story Short”, in Journeys to Glory, performed by Spandau Ballet

    So anyway, long story short . . . Kenny was always gambling. And six years ago, he bought this lottery ticket and he won. Not much. A million bucks. After taxes, that’s like five hundred thousand dollars. I’m thinking party time.

    1994, Eric Bogosian, Pounding Nails in the Floor With My Forehead, Theatre Communications Group, →ISBN, page 40

    “So long story short,” Damon continues, obviously enjoying his newfound status as Magic Kingdom iconoclast, “it got back to the director what I did and then it went all the way to [Michael] Eisner’s office. […]”

    1999, Dennis Hensley, Misadventures in the (213), HarperCollins, →ISBN, page 74

    Long story short, I'm on the hook for sending Trong Tri Kelso to college and he doesn't want to go to a state school.

    2005 March 1, “My Best Laid Plans”, in Scrubs, season 4, episode 19 (television production), spoken by Dr. Kelso (Ken Jenkins)

Origin

A reduced form of to cut a long story short and to make a long story short.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic القصة بإختصار
  • القصة بإختصارIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Chinese Cantonese 長話短說 /长话短说
  • 長話短說 /长话短说 (coeng⁴ waa⁶ dyun² syut³)Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Chinese Mandarin 長話短說 /长话短说
  • 長話短說 /长话短说 (chánghuàduǎnshuō)Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Dutch lang verhaal kort
  • lang verhaal kortIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Finnish lyhyesti sanottuna
  • lyhyesti sanottunaIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
French pour faire court, en résumé
  • pour faire courtIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • en résuméIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • en brefIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
German kurz gesagt, kurz und gut
  • kurz gesagtIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • kurz und gutIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • lange Rede, kurzer SinnIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Greek κοντολογίς, για να μην μακρηγορώ
  • κοντολογίς (kontologís)Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • για να μην μακρηγορώ (gia na min makrigoró)Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Hungarian egy szó mint száz, elég az hozzá, hogy
  • egy szó mint százIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • elég az hozzá, hogyIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Indonesian singkat cerita
  • singkat ceritaIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Italian in somma, per tagliare corto
  • in sommaIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • per tagliare cortoIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • per farla breveIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Malay pendek cerita, pendek kata
  • pendek ceritaIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • pendek kataIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Persian خلاصه ، القصه ، آخر سر اینکه
  • خلاصه ، القصه ، آخر سر اینکهIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Polish krótko mówiąc, w skrócie
  • krótko mówiącIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • w skrócieIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Portuguese trocando em miúdos, resumindo e concluindo
  • trocando em miúdosIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • resumindo e concluindoIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Russian коро́че говоря́
  • коро́че говоря́ (koróče govorjá)Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Spanish en resumen, resumiendo
  • en resumenIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • resumiendoIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • para hacerla cortaIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • para no hacerla largaIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • para no hacerte el cuento largoIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • para no estirarlo demasiadoIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • para abreviarIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • abreviandoIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • yendo al granoIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • al granoIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Swedish kort och gott
  • kort och gottIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Turkish uzun lafın kısası, velhasıl
  • uzun lafın kısasıIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • velhasılIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
  • velhasılıkelamIntroducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Ukrainian коро́тше ка́жучи
  • коро́тше ка́жучи (korótše kážučy)Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story
Cite this entry
APA

long story short. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/long%20story%20short

MLA

“long story short.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/long%20story%20short. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “long story short,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/long%20story%20short.

Source: long story short on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.