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
Running for two seasons, the off-kilter series centered on fictional billionaire Ellis Dragon (Rob), a narcissistic biotech entrepreneur whose mental health spirals after the loss of his wife.
—
Andrea Wurzburger, People.com, 22 June 2025
By Lydia Mansel The fictional small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, may only exist in Gilmore Girls, but there are hundreds, if not thousands, of equally charming destinations within the U.S. that offer a similar setting and slower pace of life.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2025
After her adventures in Wonderland, the fictional Alice stepped through the mirror above her fireplace in Lewis Carroll’s 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass to discover how the reflected realm differed from her own.
—Zack Savitsky, Wired News, 22 June 2025
To make things more complicated, popular New York influencers have been criticized for years for promoting a fictional version of the city, one that prioritizes ease for transplants while ignoring the ongoing struggle of working class residents.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fictional
Andrea Wurzburger, People.com, 22 June 2025
By Lydia Mansel The fictional small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, may only exist in Gilmore Girls, but there are hundreds, if not thousands, of equally charming destinations within the U.S. that offer a similar setting and slower pace of life.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2025
After her adventures in Wonderland, the fictional Alice stepped through the mirror above her fireplace in Lewis Carroll’s 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass to discover how the reflected realm differed from her own.
—Zack Savitsky, Wired News, 22 June 2025
To make things more complicated, popular New York influencers have been criticized for years for promoting a fictional version of the city, one that prioritizes ease for transplants while ignoring the ongoing struggle of working class residents.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fictional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fictional
Adjective
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Although it was portrayed as the fictitious Amity island in the film, many of the location sites are still favorite destinations with travelers — less so for the traffic and tourist-averse year-round islanders.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
27 June 2025
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Instead, the two lawyers achieved notoriety in 2023 when the judge in the case fined the pair $5,000 for citing six fictitious cases, invented by artificial intelligence software, in a brief to the court.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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Some will retreat from public life, spurning those closest to them in favor of an imaginary narrative woven with these programs.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2025
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Since its inception, astronomers had busied themselves tracking the apparent movements of the stars, moon and planets relative to an imaginary line running north to south through the observatory, known as a 'meridian'.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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Even with the security, though, collectors and fans are able to get up close to items that may have previously seemed mythical.—
Larry Holder,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
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The electric Nebraska has become a mythical object for Springsteen fans over the years, and there’s been a lot of evidence suggesting the tapes do exist.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fictional. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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