fictional

adjective

fic·​tion·​al ˈfik-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce fictional (audio)
: 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 duo first shared the screen in 1999's Any Given Sunday, which follows a fictional professional football team. Nicholas Rice, People.com, 18 Jan. 2025 In his office, Berg used an ice axe to pitch Smith on a collaboration, which would eventually follow a fictional frontiersman and mother-son duo navigating the Westward expansion. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Jan. 2025 In a sketch during the Dec. 7 episode, hosted by Paul Mescal, SNL cast member Heidi Gardner plays a fictional BuzzFeed reporter on the red carpet for the debut of the Bob Dylan biopic, which stars Chalamet as the legendary folk musician. Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 17 Jan. 2025 Elana Klein ‘My Chinese Spy’ Memes Show Americans Aren’t Sold on the TikTok Ban With a TikTok shutdown all but inevitable, users are dedicating their final days on the app to fictional agents of the Chinese government. Kat Merck, WIRED, 17 Jan. 2025 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

Dictionary Entries Near fictional

Cite this Entry

“Fictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fictional. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

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