fictional

adjective

fic·​tion·​al ˈfik-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce fictional (audio)
Synonyms of fictionalnext
: 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 adverb
… a film that documents the history of space science and fictionally portrays a journey to the moon … Lynn Baker et al.

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The creative team behind the doc is also developing a limited fictional series titled 96 on the same subject matter. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026 Streep won a Golden Globe and was Oscar nominated for her role as the icy editor-in-chief of top fictional fashion magazine Runway (inspired by Vogue‘s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour). Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 29 Apr. 2026 The film called it Elias-Clark, the fictional publishing empire where Miranda terrorized assistants and designers with equal conviction. Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026 As Mike and Carol Brady, Robert Reed and Florence Henderson were good role models for their fictional children, both as characters and professional actors. Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fictional

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fictional was in 1834

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Cite this Entry

“Fictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fictional. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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