fiction

noun

fic·tion | \ ˈfik-shən

Definition of fiction

1a : 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

b : fictitious literature (such as novels or short stories) was renowned as a writer of fiction

c : a work of fiction especially : novel Her latest work is a fiction set during the Civil War.

2a : 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

3 : the action of feigning or of creating with the imagination She engaged in fiction to escape painful realities.

Other Words from fiction Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about fiction

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Other Words from fiction

fictional \ ˈfik-shnəl ,

-shə-nᵊl \ adjective

fictionality \ ˌfik-shə-ˈna-lə-tē

\ noun

fictionally \ ˈfik-shnə-lē ,

-shə-nᵊl-ē \ adverb

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

For the writer of serious literary fiction, the analogous trick is to inflict a traumatic injury on a child. — Sam Sacks, WSJ, "Fiction: They Fall to Earth, We Know Not Where," 18 Jan. 2019 As with many who knew the Harts, Shonda Jones—the attorney who represented Celestine in court—takes issue with the disconnect between the facts that emerged after the fatal March crash and the fiction Jen Hart presented on Facebook. — Glamour, "Broken Harts, Episode 6: "Beautiful Black Boys"," 15 Jan. 2019 The guy's crazy, but man, that conceit makes for some compelling fiction. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "TV Technica 2018: Our favorite shows and binges," 24 Dec. 2018 Lindsay is best known to audiences for her legendary title role in the science-fiction series The Bionic Woman, which ran from 1976 until 1978. — Emma Dibdin, Country Living, "Who Is Lindsay Wagner? Meet The Star of Hallmark's 'Mingle All The Way'," 1 Dec. 2018 Robocop Returns is not the first time Blomkamp has been attached to the revival of a major science-fiction property. — Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, "Why 'Robocop' and Neill Blomkamp Need Each Other," 11 July 2018 The fiction is a universe, the nonfiction is an argument. — Michelle Weber, Longreads, "Arundhati Roy: “Fiction is a Universe”," 26 June 2018 While speculative fiction is full of apocalypses, Roanhorse has also pointed out that the end of the world is not just an abstract concept. — Andrew Liptak, The Verge, "Trail of Lightning is a breathtaking Native American urban fantasy adventure," 26 June 2018 Starfield, a science-fiction game, will hit shelves before The Elder Scrolls VI. — Chris Morris, Fortune, "Bethesda Softworks Announces 'Fallout 76' Release Date and New 'Elder Scrolls' Game," 11 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fiction.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for fiction

Middle English ficcioun "invention of the mind," borrowed from Middle French fiction, borrowed from Latin fictiōn-, fictiō "action of shaping or molding, feigning, pretense, legal fiction," from fig-, variant stem of fingere "to mold, fashion, make a likeness of, pretend to be" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at feign

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