ENGLISH
REFERENCE

make a long story short

idiom
Meaning

Tell something briefly


Examples
SIMPLE

To make a long story short, we missed the train.

CONTEXTUAL

I had a terrible day at the airport, but to make a long story short, I finally arrived home at midnight.

COMPLEX

The witness began to describe every detail of the accident, but eventually decided to make a long story short by focusing on the final impact.

Last updated June 7, 2026