as in historical
restricted to or based on fact
a nonfictional account of a disastrous ascent of Mount Everest
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Recent Examples of nonfictional
Pee-Wee as Himself, the 2025 Emmy award winner for best documentary or nonfictional special, is also among the nominees.
—
Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
That delirious excess befits the essence of Lapid’s method, which is a fusion of fiction with indigestibly and irreducibly nonfictional elements.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
The days at the fictional Oak Canyon Ranch Retreat in the nonfictional Agoura Hills are loaded with incident — the retreat itself is essentially sleepaway camp, including pool time, games, a cookout, a talent show — and disasters.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Significant experiment The effort is part of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, a nonfictional experiment with detectors that will be immersed in huge baths of cryogenic liquid argon, which is going the opposite direction — down.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Jan. 2026
But what was more interesting to me are those who aren’t fantasizing about being in a fictional world, but who are fantasizing about being a different reader, in a more secure nonfictional world.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
Recently, this sacrament has garnered nonfictional attention.
—Timothy Gabrielli, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
That delirious excess befits the essence of Lapid’s method, which is a fusion of fiction with indigestibly and irreducibly nonfictional elements.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
The days at the fictional Oak Canyon Ranch Retreat in the nonfictional Agoura Hills are loaded with incident — the retreat itself is essentially sleepaway camp, including pool time, games, a cookout, a talent show — and disasters.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Significant experiment The effort is part of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, a nonfictional experiment with detectors that will be immersed in huge baths of cryogenic liquid argon, which is going the opposite direction — down.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Jan. 2026
But what was more interesting to me are those who aren’t fantasizing about being in a fictional world, but who are fantasizing about being a different reader, in a more secure nonfictional world.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
Recently, this sacrament has garnered nonfictional attention.
—Timothy Gabrielli, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonfictional
Adjective
-
Thousands of photographs and historical documents are stored in archives and the collections section of the museum houses an assortment of memorabilia.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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All three writers turned loving, humorous, piercing gazes on a particular place, exploring, through cycles of plays, the rich humanity and the grave historical wounds of its inhabitants.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Yet neither approach had any factual basis, and any success either group had was likely due to the placebo effect—merely giving a patient special attention and the hope of a cure can be healing in itself.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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Some complaints derive from the film brushing aside many of the late King of Pop’s controversies, while others criticize the factual problems of Michael’s life and career, including missing family members.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Sarah Hoover wears a lavender pantsuit at a screening of the documentary Art's Missing Period with Kotex in New York City.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The festival opens with the documentary film STEAL THIS STORY, PLEASE!—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
London is the capital of pristine facades, often painted in wedding-cake shades of cream or ivory; the city’s dominant aesthetic is a literal whitewash.—
Mark O’Connell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The literal translation of the song is a love song.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nonfictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonfictional. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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