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.
Originally a spinoff of the NBC sitcom, A Different World first centered on Denise’s life as an undergrad at Hillman College, a fictional historically Black college in Virginia. Emily Krauser, People.com, 23 Feb. 2025 Faizon is perhaps best known for playing the manager of fictional department store Gimbels in 2003's Elf. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2025 The fictional Dowd, whose name derives from a real EA Sports employee, was the series’ way of replacing Bonds. Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2025 In any case, the ad includes a phone number for the fictional business: 1-732-858-5242. Erik Kain, Forbes, 22 Feb. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Fictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fictional. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

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