Synonyms of fictitious

fictitious

adjective

fik-ˈti-shəs 

as in fictional

not real and existing only in the imagination

his wartime exploits turned out to be entirely fictitious, as he had never even been in the military

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fictitious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of fictitious are apocryphal, fabulous, legendary, and mythical. While all these words mean "having the nature of something imagined or invented," fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception.

fictitious characters

When would apocryphal be a good substitute for fictitious?

The words apocryphal and fictitious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, apocryphal implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate.

a book that repeats many apocryphal stories

Where would fabulous be a reasonable alternative to fictitious?

The synonyms fabulous and fictitious are sometimes interchangeable, but fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence.

a land of fabulous riches

In what contexts can legendary take the place of fictitious?

Although the words legendary and fictitious have much in common, legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition.

the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett

When can mythical be used instead of fictitious?

While in some cases nearly identical to fictitious, mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination.

mythical creatures

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fictitious

Additionally, the Broadway play Ain’t No Mo, on which Hillman Grad, named after the fictitious historically Black college, served as producer, was nominated for Best Play at the 2023 Tony Awards. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 18 June 2025

In the film, a massive great white shark hunts people swimming in the water surrounding the fictitious Amity Island. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 13 June 2025

Ever since Max began streaming the drama about life in a fictitious Pittsburgh emergency room, it’s been one pinch-me moment after another for Wyle and his fellow executive producers John Wells and R. Scott Gemmill. —Lynette Rice, Deadline, 12 June 2025

Yet, planting real or fictitious employees is also a real challenge, especially from cash-desperate regimes. —Noah Barsky, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025

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