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
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Recent Examples of fictional
In preparing for the original The Devil Wears Prada, Ledermann and the makeup department completely avoided looking at trend boards and noughties fashion campaigns, aiming instead to create looks for each fictional woman that were specific to each of their personalities.
—
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2026
In season 6 of the Netflix series, a young Kate (Meg Bellamy) was shown working in a restaurant and watching William (Ed McVey) and a fictional girlfriend named Lola run from the paparazzi through the eatery’s window.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
And Ohm’s cruelties aren’t merely fictional.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
The Devil Wears Prada 2, which opens in theaters on May 1, brings us back into the offices of the fictional Runway magazine, where Miranda Priestly (Streep) is still in charge, but after a scandal hits the publication, Andy Sachs (Hathaway) is hired as a features editor to help right the ship.
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fictional
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2026
In season 6 of the Netflix series, a young Kate (Meg Bellamy) was shown working in a restaurant and watching William (Ed McVey) and a fictional girlfriend named Lola run from the paparazzi through the eatery’s window.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
And Ohm’s cruelties aren’t merely fictional.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
The Devil Wears Prada 2, which opens in theaters on May 1, brings us back into the offices of the fictional Runway magazine, where Miranda Priestly (Streep) is still in charge, but after a scandal hits the publication, Andy Sachs (Hathaway) is hired as a features editor to help right the ship.
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fictional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fictional
Adjective
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First, Jones submitted fraudulent expense reimbursement requests for fictitious business expenses.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Investigators say the monthly payroll expenses and the number of employees were fictitious and that the documents used to support the monthly income for the companies were false.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Footnotes and excerpts from imaginary texts add to the story’s worldbuilding and its charm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
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The takeaway isn’t that morning anxiety is imaginary.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But there's also race history, manifested in fandom by Secretariat, the almost mythical champion racehorse known as Big Red who ruled the tracks in the mid-1970s.—
Javier Zarracina,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
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In Phantom Combatants, Tontey transforms Karamoy from a singular historical figure into a mythic presence multiplied through a chorus of young troops, according to a press release.—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Then, a shift to the imagined world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
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But, this specific adaptation could be equally advantaged by presenting an imagined hell within our lesser, present one.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fictional. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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