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.
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 box office and streaming success of the project has launched real K-pop groups on TikTok to recreate the film’s fictional boy group Saja Boys.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Santos became a celebrity after the news media picked apart his resume following his 2022 election, revealing a string of lies about his education, employment history and a fictional career as a college volleyball star.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Deliver Me From Nowhere are real, Bruce’s romantic interest, Faye Romano (Odessa Young), is a fictional character, based on several of the rock star’s girlfriends at the time.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Infamous killer Gein, who died in 1984, is said to have inspired fictional works like Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fictional
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Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Santos became a celebrity after the news media picked apart his resume following his 2022 election, revealing a string of lies about his education, employment history and a fictional career as a college volleyball star.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Deliver Me From Nowhere are real, Bruce’s romantic interest, Faye Romano (Odessa Young), is a fictional character, based on several of the rock star’s girlfriends at the time.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Infamous killer Gein, who died in 1984, is said to have inspired fictional works like Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 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 26 Oct. 2025.
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