make a long story short

Meaning

This phrase is used to skip the unnecessary details of a story and get straight to the main point or conclusion. It is incredibly common in spoken, casual English when the speaker realizes they are talking too much or want to save time.

Examples

• To make a long story short, we missed our flight and had to spend the night at the airport.

  To make a long story short, we missed our flight and had to spend the night at the airport.

• Anyway, to make a long story short, I ended up getting the job after all.

  Anyway, to make a long story short, I ended up getting the job after all.

• We met at a coffee shop, talked for hours, and, to make a long story short, we're getting married next month.

  We met at a coffee shop, talked for hours, and, to make a long story short, we're getting married next month.

• I won't bore you with all the details, but to make a long story short, the car broke down.

  I won't bore you with all the details, but to make a long story short, the car broke down.

• To make a long story short, the party was a total disaster.

  To make a long story short, the party was a total disaster.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ For making a long story short, we decided to stay home.

  ✓ To make a long story short, we decided to stay home.

  The infinitive form "To make..." is always used to introduce this transition phrase. "For making" is incorrect.

• ✗ To make a short story long, they got divorced.

  ✓ To make a long story short, they got divorced.

  Swapping the adjectives completely reverses the meaning and destroys the idiom.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I had a series of terrible flights, but ___, I finally arrived in Tokyo.

  💡 Skip the details and give the final result.

  Show answer

  to make a long story short

• ___, the project was cancelled because we ran out of budget.

  💡 Summarize a long sequence of events quickly.

  Show answer

  To make a long story short