fictional
adjective
fic·tion·al
ˈfik-sh(ə-)nəl 
: of, relating to, characterized by, or occurring in fiction : invented by the imagination
a fictional story/character
fictional dialogue
Over the past 15 years, Noble has created a fantastical, awe-inspiring fictional city called Nobson Newtown, which he renders in painstakingly detailed pencil drawings …—
Steve Rose
Steve RoseThere are several surprises about stories. The first is that we spend a great deal of time in fictional worlds, whether in daydreams, novels, confabulations or life narratives. When all is tallied up, the decades we spend in the realm of fantasy outstrip the time we spend in the real world.—David Eagleman
David EaglemanBesides scholarly writings and cultural criticism, he's turned out a fictional mystery series starring Edgar Allan Poe …—Edward Lewine
Edward Lewine
fictionally
adverb
… a film that documents the history of space science and fictionally portrays a journey to the moon …
—Lynn Baker et al.
Lynn Baker et al.
Synonyms of fictional
Examples of fictional in a Sentence
the events in the horror movie seemed so real to some fans that they could not believe that the whole thing was fictional
Recent Examples on the Web
First airing in 2001 on NBC, the Emmy award-winning medical sitcom followed the lives of employees at the fictional Sacred Heart Hospital.
—Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
The fictional world that Orvis creates in Homestead and Black Autumn revolves around a group of survivors who seek refuge in a fortified mountain compound following a nuclear attack that destroys Los Angeles.
—Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025
Superfans of The Holiday can now rent out a replica of the quaint English cottage where fictional Hollywood bigwig Amanda Woods (played by Cameron Diaz) was charmed by heartthrob British book editor Graham (played by Jude Law).
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2025
But in the fictional and hazardous town of Hawkins, Indiana, only a few years have passed.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fictional
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Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
The fictional world that Orvis creates in Homestead and Black Autumn revolves around a group of survivors who seek refuge in a fortified mountain compound following a nuclear attack that destroys Los Angeles.
—Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025
Superfans of The Holiday can now rent out a replica of the quaint English cottage where fictional Hollywood bigwig Amanda Woods (played by Cameron Diaz) was charmed by heartthrob British book editor Graham (played by Jude Law).
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2025
But in the fictional and hazardous town of Hawkins, Indiana, only a few years have passed.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fictional
Cite this Entry
“Fictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fictional. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
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