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
In Split Fiction, two authors, Zoe and Mio, get trapped inside their respective fantasy and science fiction novels after a machine that allows each to experience their fictional worlds first-hand malfunctions.
—Richard Newby, Time, 6 Dec. 2025
The British screenwriter's original series followed the rise and fall of the fictional Shelby family circa 1900s England and ran for nearly a decade, from 2013 to 2022.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Dec. 2025
And as far as their characters Shane (Joe), Nate (Nick) and Jason (Kevin) — members of the fictional band Connect 3 are brothers — the jury is still out.
—Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
According to the library's catalog, its children's, tween and teen sections offer dozens of LGBTQ books, ranging from LGBTQ history and biographies to fictional stories and advice.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fictional
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Richard Newby, Time, 6 Dec. 2025
The British screenwriter's original series followed the rise and fall of the fictional Shelby family circa 1900s England and ran for nearly a decade, from 2013 to 2022.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Dec. 2025
And as far as their characters Shane (Joe), Nate (Nick) and Jason (Kevin) — members of the fictional band Connect 3 are brothers — the jury is still out.
—Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
According to the library's catalog, its children's, tween and teen sections offer dozens of LGBTQ books, ranging from LGBTQ history and biographies to fictional stories and advice.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fictional
Cite this Entry
“Fictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fictional. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share