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
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
According to Fernández, the film’s crew is excited about the narrative possibilities of addressing something sinister through children’s fiction.
—Jamie Lang, Variety, 23 Apr. 2024
The annual awards ceremony has, since 1963, recognized outstanding literary voices across multiple genres including fiction, poetry, children’s literature, and drama.
—Armani Syed, TIME, 23 Apr. 2024
In Jane Smiley’s rock ’n’ roll novel, does good sense make good fiction?
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2024
Daily Our flagship newsletter highlights the best of The New Yorker, including top stories, fiction, humor, and podcasts.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2024
This blend of heartfelt comedy and high-stakes depth ripples throughout the pages of romantic fiction, which has exploded in popularity over the past few years.
—Erin Carlson, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
His most recent books are the best-selling Battlefield America: The War on the American People, the award-winning A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, and a debut dystopian fiction novel, The Erik Blair Diaries.
—Nisha Whitehead, Orange County Register, 18 Apr. 2024
At various points, Magie was a poet; a stenographer at the Dead Letter Office, where mail considered undeliverable landed; a comedic stage actress; an engineer who invented and patented a device that improved the flow of paper in typewriters; and a fiction writer.
—Gavin Edwards, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Of course, fiction gives audiences permission to root for con men even when the crimes are serious.
—Esther Zuckerman, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024
Jamie Lang, Variety, 23 Apr. 2024
The annual awards ceremony has, since 1963, recognized outstanding literary voices across multiple genres including fiction, poetry, children’s literature, and drama.
—Armani Syed, TIME, 23 Apr. 2024
In Jane Smiley’s rock ’n’ roll novel, does good sense make good fiction?
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2024
Daily Our flagship newsletter highlights the best of The New Yorker, including top stories, fiction, humor, and podcasts.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2024
This blend of heartfelt comedy and high-stakes depth ripples throughout the pages of romantic fiction, which has exploded in popularity over the past few years.
—Erin Carlson, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
His most recent books are the best-selling Battlefield America: The War on the American People, the award-winning A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, and a debut dystopian fiction novel, The Erik Blair Diaries.
—Nisha Whitehead, Orange County Register, 18 Apr. 2024
At various points, Magie was a poet; a stenographer at the Dead Letter Office, where mail considered undeliverable landed; a comedic stage actress; an engineer who invented and patented a device that improved the flow of paper in typewriters; and a fiction writer.
—Gavin Edwards, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Of course, fiction gives audiences permission to root for con men even when the crimes are serious.
—Esther Zuckerman, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fiction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fiction
Cite this Entry
“Fiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiction. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
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