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
Documentaries sometimes get a bad reputation for being slow-moving, but a good one can tell a story just as well as any fictional film can.
—Stephanie Bai, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026
In a surprise move, KATSEYE brought out the ladies of Huntrix, the fictional girl group from KPop Demon Hunters, comprised of singers EJAE, Ami and Nuna.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026
Except that the President in this scenario is a fictional character from a TV show.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
The real-life matriarch of Malcolm in the Middle’s fictional family experienced a major life shift following the series’ end.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fictional
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Stephanie Bai, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026
In a surprise move, KATSEYE brought out the ladies of Huntrix, the fictional girl group from KPop Demon Hunters, comprised of singers EJAE, Ami and Nuna.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026
Except that the President in this scenario is a fictional character from a TV show.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
The real-life matriarch of Malcolm in the Middle’s fictional family experienced a major life shift following the series’ end.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fictional
Cite this Entry
“Fictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fictional. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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