science fiction

noun

: fiction dealing principally with the impact of actual or imagined science on society or individuals or having a scientific factor as an essential orienting component
science-fictional adjective

Examples of science fiction in a Sentence

Time travel exists only in the realm of science fiction.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For decades, science fiction offered a comforting ethical blueprint: Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics. Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 This is trying to incorporate some of that world of science fiction/fantasy into a comedy. Joe Otterson, Variety, 9 July 2025 For anyone who loves the soapy drama of Yellowstone but wants a bit of Stranger Things science fiction thrown in, Outer Range is a sure bet. Keith Langston, People.com, 6 July 2025 These kinds of attacks are no longer science fiction. William Jones, USA Today, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for science fiction

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of science fiction was in 1898

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Cite this Entry

“Science fiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/science%20fiction. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

science fiction

noun
: fiction that deals with the influence of real or imagined science on society or individuals
science-fictional
ˈsī-ən(t)s-ˈfik-shnəl
-shən-ᵊl
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on science fiction

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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