Synonyms of fictional

fictional

adjective

ˈfik-shnəl 

as in fictitious

not real and existing only in the imagination

the events in the horror movie seemed so real to some fans that they could not believe that the whole thing was fictional

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fictitious
• imaginary
• mythical
• imagined
• fantasied
• imaginal
• ideal
• invented
• phantom
• make-believe
• unreal
• fanciful
• theoretical
• chimerical
• fantastic
• phantasmal
• notional
• legendary
• made-up
• romantic
• hypothetical
• pretend
• fabulous
• phantasmic
• visionary
• unlikely
• fabled
• abstract
• fictive
• deceptive
• unbelievable
• unconvincing
• illusory
• envisioned
• visualized
• hallucinatory
• phantasmagoric
• conceived
• pictured
• nonexistent
• delusional
• delusive
• fabricated
• envisaged
• concocted
• daydreamlike
• feigned
• inexistent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• actual
• real
• existing
• true
• authentic
• genuine
• existent
• factual
• realistic
• physical
• verifiable
• convincing
• believable
• substantial
• solid
• corporeal
• material
• tangible
• verified
• palpable

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fictional

In the book, a fictional AI escapes its lab, runs copies of itself on machines no one is watching, and eventually releases a virus over time. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026

To celebrate the launch, the duo is bringing the nostalgia of childhood cereal box prizes to life through a multi-city activation inspired by Nahmias’ fictional Cornballs cereal. — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created one of the most beloved fictional detectives of all time in Sherlock Holmes, spawning countless novels, films, TV series, and so forth featuring the sleuth. — ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026

Actual femcels, meanwhile, appear considerably less frightening than their fictional counterparts. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Oct. 2026