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

There 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

Besides scholarly writings and cultural criticism, he's turned out a fictional mystery series starring Edgar Allan Poe …

—Edward Lewine

fictionally

ˈfik-sh(ə-)nəl-ē 

adverb

… a film that documents the history of space science and fictionally portrays a journey to the moon …

—Lynn Baker et al.

Synonyms of fictional

• fictitious
• imaginary
• mythical
• imagined
• fantasied

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

While Ploughman is a fictional persona in a real-life setting, Garfield didn’t approach him any differently from those other roles. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Then they were gone, suddenly reminders of a nightmare that had changed the world so drastically that even fictional characters couldn’t live in a world that hadn’t. — Dan Heching, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026

When David flees before the FBI can arrest him, Teagan and her mother, Ella (Jessica Paré), are blindsided, and are forced to leave their affluent Los Angeles community for Ella’s hometown, Eagle’s Cove, a fictional town in Massachusetts. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026

Also figuring prominently in the proceedings is the cleric’s acolyte Alyce (Thomasin McKenzie, Jojo Rabbit), a fictional character representing the many women who took part in the movement. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fictional

• frictional
• jurisdictional