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

The show spins a fictional intelligence story around the Doolittle Raid of 1942. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026

In games, Riley Park unravels a sinister mystery around the fictional children’s television show Amanda the Adventurer after discovering a mysterious video tape in their late aunt Kate’s attic. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026

In Aaron Sorkin’s new thriller, the fictional Haugen — who, like her nonfictional counterpart, leaks thousands of documents to Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz — habitually dons the accessories. — Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026

The show will serve as a platform for countless lunatics within the InfoWars universe and a platform for larger announcements about the company’s fictional exploits. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fictional

• frictional
• jurisdictional