1
a
: something invented by the imagination or feigned
specifically
: an invented story
… I'd found out that the story of the ailing son was pure fiction. —
Andrew A. Rooney
Andrew A. Rooney
b
: fictitious literature (such as novels or short stories)
was renowned as a writer of fiction
c
: a work of fiction
2
a
: an assumption of a possibility as a fact irrespective of the question of its truth
a legal fiction
b
: a useful illusion or pretense
It was only a fiction of independence his mother gave him; he was almost totally under her power …—G. A. Wagner
G. A. Wagner3
: the action of feigning or of creating with the imagination
She engaged in fiction to escape painful realities.
Synonyms of fiction
Examples of fiction in a Sentence
She believes the fiction that crime rates are up.
most stories about famous outlaws of the Old West are fictions that have little or nothing to do with fact
Recent Examples on the Web
Beyond that is the usual mix of fiction (new and old), poetry, comics, and writing that attempts to make sense of this current moment.
—Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 historical fiction novel, the film follows playwright William Shakespeare (Mescal) and his wild-eyed wife, Agnes (Buckley), whose relationship is splintered by the tragic loss of their young son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe).
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
The 26 films in this section — a mix of fiction and documentary features — are all world premieres.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 10 Dec. 2025
Nature is healing Unlike in other works of post-apocalyptic fiction, however, Earth doesn't stop spinning because humanity is having a hard time.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fiction
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Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 historical fiction novel, the film follows playwright William Shakespeare (Mescal) and his wild-eyed wife, Agnes (Buckley), whose relationship is splintered by the tragic loss of their young son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe).
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
The 26 films in this section — a mix of fiction and documentary features — are all world premieres.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 10 Dec. 2025
Nature is healing Unlike in other works of post-apocalyptic fiction, however, Earth doesn't stop spinning because humanity is having a hard time.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fiction
Cite this Entry
“Fiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiction. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.
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