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
Among the stars and comedians taking the stage at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. to skewer the former NFL star was Ron Burgundy, the fictional newsman played by Will Ferrell in 2004's Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and 2013's Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
—Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 6 May 2024
Standing in for the fictional Giralang Ranges are magnificent Victorian locations in Great Otway National Park, the Dandenong Ranges and the Yarra Valley.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 May 2024
Lipa was LaGrange, a fictional character who had a steamy dance with the literary spy protagonist, played by Henry Cavill.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 May 2024
Another memorable plot arc, in a Season 8 episode that first aired in 1997, was perhaps more instructive: The fictional Jerry’s dentist has converted to Judaism — in large part, Jerry suspects, to get away with telling transparently hacky jokes about Jews.
—Marc Tracy, New York Times, 4 May 2024
The new film from Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi is set in the tranquil (and fictional) village of Mizubiki some two hours outside of Tokyo.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 May 2024
In The Idea of You, Galitzine plays fictional August Moon frontman Hayes Campbell, but his profession, worldwide fame, posh accent, tattoos, and similar first name are all that connect him to Styles.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 3 May 2024
The hotel’s art collection—rivaling some museums with roughly 3,600 works of art—is inspired by Adelaide’s fictional travels.
—Katie Kelly Bell, Robb Report, 2 May 2024
But assuming a novel with a fictional celebrity in a relationship must be based on an existing celebrity—in this case, the internet has decided, Harry Styles—is unimaginative at best and sexist at worst.
—Robinne Lee, TIME, 2 May 2024
Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 6 May 2024
Standing in for the fictional Giralang Ranges are magnificent Victorian locations in Great Otway National Park, the Dandenong Ranges and the Yarra Valley.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 May 2024
Lipa was LaGrange, a fictional character who had a steamy dance with the literary spy protagonist, played by Henry Cavill.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 May 2024
Another memorable plot arc, in a Season 8 episode that first aired in 1997, was perhaps more instructive: The fictional Jerry’s dentist has converted to Judaism — in large part, Jerry suspects, to get away with telling transparently hacky jokes about Jews.
—Marc Tracy, New York Times, 4 May 2024
The new film from Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi is set in the tranquil (and fictional) village of Mizubiki some two hours outside of Tokyo.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 May 2024
In The Idea of You, Galitzine plays fictional August Moon frontman Hayes Campbell, but his profession, worldwide fame, posh accent, tattoos, and similar first name are all that connect him to Styles.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 3 May 2024
The hotel’s art collection—rivaling some museums with roughly 3,600 works of art—is inspired by Adelaide’s fictional travels.
—Katie Kelly Bell, Robb Report, 2 May 2024
But assuming a novel with a fictional celebrity in a relationship must be based on an existing celebrity—in this case, the internet has decided, Harry Styles—is unimaginative at best and sexist at worst.
—Robinne Lee, TIME, 2 May 2024
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 9 May. 2024.
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