fictional
adjective
fic·tion·al
ˈfik-shnəl 
-shə-nᵊl
: 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
Steve RoseThere 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
David EaglemanBesides scholarly writings and cultural criticism, he's turned out a fictional mystery series starring Edgar Allan Poe …—Edward Lewine
Edward Lewine
fictionally
ˈfik-shnəl-ē
adverb
-shə-nᵊl-ē
… a film that documents the history of space science and fictionally portrays a journey to the moon …
—Lynn Baker et al.
Lynn Baker et al.
Synonyms
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
This movie was based on Danny’s documentation of biker culture, but the story is fictional.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2024
The characters are fictional stand-ins for the real-life multitudes who have poured into Poland through Belarus since 2021, at the invitation of the Belarusian dictator, Alexander Lukashenka.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 22 June 2024
Based on Suzanne Collins’ novels of the same name, the movies take place in a fictional country called Panem, which was once North America.
—Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 21 June 2024
This time around, just after the fictional asteroid’s discovery, scientists estimated its size to be anywhere from 60 meters to almost 800 meters across.
—Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for fictional 
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2024
The characters are fictional stand-ins for the real-life multitudes who have poured into Poland through Belarus since 2021, at the invitation of the Belarusian dictator, Alexander Lukashenka.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 22 June 2024
Based on Suzanne Collins’ novels of the same name, the movies take place in a fictional country called Panem, which was once North America.
—Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 21 June 2024
This time around, just after the fictional asteroid’s discovery, scientists estimated its size to be anywhere from 60 meters to almost 800 meters across.
—Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for fictional
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fictional.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fictional
Cite this Entry
“Fictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fictional. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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