- Used as a preface to indicate that the speaker is omitting details and providing a concise summary of a longer account or explanation.
- Signals I'm skipping the full narrative and giving you the conclusion or the main outcome.
Explanation
Origin
- A literal description of the function: making a potentially long story short. It became idiomatic through common usage, likely in the 19th or early 20th century.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- TL;DR... (Too Long; Didn't Read internet slang, often written but sometimes spoken, used exactly like 'long story short')
- The short version is...
More Formal:
- To summarize briefly...
- In essence...
- The main outcome was...
Situational Appropriateness
- Very common in informal and semi-formal settings.
- Generally acceptable in most everyday work conversations.
- In highly formal reports or presentations, To summarize or In brief would be preferred.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Quite straightforward. Learners mainly need to understand it signals a summary is coming and details are being skipped.
Examples
- We missed the train, had to wait an hour, then the next one was delayed... Long story short, we were three hours late.
- There was a lot of back-and-forth negotiation, but long story short, we got the contract.
- Why did I leave my job? Well, long story short, my boss was impossible.
Dialogue
Anna: How was your date last night?
Ben: Oh boy. Well, first she was late, then she spilled wine on me, then her ex showed up...
Anna: Wow!
Ben: Long story short, there won't be a second date.
Anna: Yikes! Okay, fair enough. But tell me more about the ex showing up!
Social Media Examples
- Facebook Post: Had an epic adventure trying to assemble IKEA furniture yesterday. Long story short, the bookshelf is now firewood. #DIYfail #IKEA
- Tweet: My thoughts on the latest tech keynote? Overhyped features, incremental updates. Long story short: save your money. #Tech #AppleEvent
- Reddit Comment: Why did I move cities? Job offer, relationship ending, needed a change... long story short, it was complicated but worth it.
Response Patterns
- Listeners typically wait expectantly for the summary.
- Nods (Okay, Gotcha).
- Sometimes mild curiosity about the omitted details (Oh really? What happened?).
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After someone says Long story short...:
- The speaker immediately provides the concise summary.
- The listener takes in the main outcome.
After the summary is given:
- The listener might accept the summary (Okay, got it).
- Or, if interested and time permits, they might ask for more details (Wait, go back. Why did you miss the train?).
Conversation Starter
- No. Used to condense information within an ongoing conversation or narrative.
Intonation
- Said fairly quickly, often with a slight dip in intonation.
- Emphasis can be on LONG and SHORT, or just said evenly.
- Often followed by a brief pause before the summary.
- Long story short... (pause) ... he got fired.
Generation Differences
- Widely used by all generations. TL;DR is much more common among younger generations familiar with internet culture.
Regional Variations
- Universal in English-speaking regions.