FICTITIOUS Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'fictitious' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of fictitious are apocryphal , fabulous , legendary , and mythical . While all these words mean "having the nature of something imagined or invented," fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception. // fictitious characters

Q: When would 'apocryphal' be a good substitute for 'fictitious'?

The words apocryphal and fictitious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, apocryphal implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate. // a book that repeats many apocryphal stories

Q: Where would 'fabulous' be a reasonable alternative to 'fictitious'?

The synonyms fabulous and fictitious are sometimes interchangeable, but fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence. // a land of fabulous riches

Q: In what contexts can 'legendary' take the place of 'fictitious'?

Although the words legendary and fictitious have much in common, legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition. // the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett

Q: When can 'mythical' be used instead of 'fictitious'?

While in some cases nearly identical to fictitious , mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination. // mythical creatures

fictitious

adjective

fik-ˈti-shəs

Definition of fictitious next

as in fictional

not real and existing only in the imagination his wartime exploits turned out to be entirely fictitious, as he had never even been in the military

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fictitious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of fictitious are apocryphal, fabulous, legendary, and mythical. While all these words mean "having the nature of something imagined or invented," fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception.

fictitious characters

When would apocryphal be a good substitute for fictitious?

The words apocryphal and fictitious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, apocryphal implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate.

a book that repeats many apocryphal stories

Where would fabulous be a reasonable alternative to fictitious?

The synonyms fabulous and fictitious are sometimes interchangeable, but fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence.

a land of fabulous riches

In what contexts can legendary take the place of fictitious?

Although the words legendary and fictitious have much in common, legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition.

the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett

When can mythical be used instead of fictitious?

While in some cases nearly identical to fictitious, mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination.

mythical creatures

Examples Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of fictitious Yet in the years since the 1990 film was released, viewers have focused on another question — how wealthy was the fictitious McCallister family featured in the movie? —

Lorie Konish, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024 Nosferatu is no less intricate in its re-creation of the fictitious 1838 German port city of Wisburg, but all those elaborate touches aren’t in service to an emotional core or its characters’ interiority. —

Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Dec. 2024 An order immediately mandating the reservation of all evidence relevant to this case is necessary to ensure that Mr. Carter has a full and fair opportunity to present his defense against Plaintiff’s fictitious claims. —

Dominic Patten, Deadline, 18 Dec. 2024 Lucy winds up time-traveling back to the film set of a fictitious 1947 flick, His Merry Wife!. —

Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fictitious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fictitious

Adjective

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
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