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

• chimerical
• chimeric
• fabulous
• fanciful
• fantasied
• fantastic
• fantastical
• fictitious
• ideal
• imaginal
• imaginary
• imagined
• invented
• made-up
• make-believe
• mythical
• mythic
• notional
• phantasmal
• phantasmic
• phantom
• pretend
• unreal
• visionary

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

Ready to swap the real-world drama for a fictional web of secrets and lies? —Andrea Bartz, People.com, 18 May 2025

It’s set in the (fictional) city of Eddington, NM, where the local sheriff, Joaquin Phoenix’s Joe Cross, tools around town responding to minor crises like noise complaints. —Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 17 May 2025

Horizon Aircraft The Cavorite – named after the fictional anti-gravity substance from H.G. Wells' 1901 book The First Men in the Moon – is designed to carry six passengers plus a pilot. —Joe Salas may 17, New Atlas, 17 May 2025

The movie takes place in May 2020 and is set in a small fictional town in New Mexico, where the local sheriff Joe Cross (Phoenix) decides to run against the charismatic and COVID-conscious mayor Ted Garcia (Pascal). —Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fictional

• frictional
• jurisdictional