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.
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
The engaging historical fiction balances a serious side and a strong sense of humor with its two different main characters: While Benedict has conservative leanings, Bergoglio is a liberal seeking church reform, and their debate tells a tale of human understanding and fallibility.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
Rather than strain to add an arthouse veneer (or the climactic reveal of an animating trauma), Coogler offers a true synthesis between serious-minded fiction and B-movie camp.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2025
The shops sells a wide variety of books ranging from board books for toddlers to young-adult fiction.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2025
This interview was featured in the Books & Fiction newsletter, which delivers the stories behind the stories, along with our latest fiction.
—Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fiction
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
Rather than strain to add an arthouse veneer (or the climactic reveal of an animating trauma), Coogler offers a true synthesis between serious-minded fiction and B-movie camp.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2025
The shops sells a wide variety of books ranging from board books for toddlers to young-adult fiction.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2025
This interview was featured in the Books & Fiction newsletter, which delivers the stories behind the stories, along with our latest fiction.
—Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 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 7 May. 2025.
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