Synonyms of fictionalnext
: 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 play, written by Jessica Dickey, is a fictional exploration of a schoolhouse shooting in an Amish community, and how the community learns to provide forgiveness and compassion. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026 Advertisement One key tool Mungiu didn’t have access to was the recording and transcription of the Bodnariu trial, which is among the reasons why Fjord had to be largely fictional. — Tomris Laffly, Time, 23 Oct. 2026 Although the book includes a disclaimer that all its characters, apart from a brief appearance by Belmonte, are fictional, its protagonist is transparently based on Manolete, who had been fatally gored in 1947. — Stephen Bates, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026 The real world is an oppressive patriarchy, while the Kens taking over in the Barbie world is an abject disaster that must be fixed by the Barbies returning to rule their fictional world. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 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 27 Oct. 2026.

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