a long story

idiom
UK: /ə lɒŋ ˈstɔːri/
US: /ə lɔːŋ ˈstɔːri/

  1. Used to indicate that an explanation would be lengthy or complicated, so it will be shortened or omitted.

    1. How did we end up painting the house purple? Oh, that's a long story. [ ] [ ]
    2. The reason I'm so late is a long story involving a flat tire and a missed bus. [ ] [ ]

  2. A complex or detailed series of events or reasons.

    1. Why are they not talking? It's a long story. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company's failure is a long story, with multiple factors contributing to its downfall. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

complicated

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "a long story" in English means: Used to indicate that an explanation would be lengthy or complicated, so it will be shortened or omitted., A complex or detailed series of events or reasons..

The phonetic transcription of "a long story" is /ə lɒŋ ˈstɔːri/ in British English and /ə lɔːŋ ˈstɔːri/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "a long story": complicated.

Example usage of "a long story": "How did we end up painting the house purple? Oh, that's a long story.". More examples on the page.