to cut a long story short

This page is about the conversational phrase to cut a long story short

Meaning

You can say this if you're going to get to the main point of what you're saying quickly, without giving all the details.

For example

  • "Why did the company go bankrupt?"
    "Well, to cut a long story short, their products didn't sell."

  • "What happened to you guys last night?"
    "We went to a club and, to cut a long story short, we ended up in jail."

Note:
Also "to make a long story short" (North American English)

Quick Quiz

You can say "to cut a long story short" if you're

a. tired of hearing someone's story

b. not going to tell the whole story

c. sure someone's story isn't true
a) tired of hearing someone's story b) not going to tell the whole story c) sure someone's story isn't true

Contributor: Matt Errey