The 1988 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the seventeenth volume in a series of nineteen.

The book collects ten novellas, novelettes and short stories by various science fiction authors, with an introduction by Wollheim.

The stories were previously published in 1987 in the magazines Playboy, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Omni, and Analog Science Fiction and Fact, and the anthologies Other Edens and Universe 17.

"The Pardoner's Tale" placed thirteenth in the 1988 Locus Poll Award for Best Short Story.

"Crying in the Rain" placed twenty-sixth in the 1988 Locus Poll Award for Best Short Story.