fictional
adjective
fic·tion·al
ˈfik-sh(ə-)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
adverb
… 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.
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
Set on the fictional New England island of New Penzance in the 1960s, Sam (Jared Gilman), an emotionally disturbed orphan, and Suzy (Kara Hayward), a sophisticated, yet troubled girl in the vein of Margot Tenenbaum, long to grow up and get away from the chaos that surrounds them.
—Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025
She was particularly taken by Keough and Claflin’s performances, as members of the fictional '70s rock band Daisy Jones & The Six.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 29 May 2025
For decades, shows have featured fictional, in-universe flicks — but that tradition has taken on new dimensions in our postmodern, ever-more-self-reflexive era.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 29 May 2025
Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, self-driving cars — these were all fictional concepts that have since crossed the threshold from imagination to innovation.
—Dete Meserve, Space.com, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fictional
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.
Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025
She was particularly taken by Keough and Claflin’s performances, as members of the fictional '70s rock band Daisy Jones & The Six.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 29 May 2025
For decades, shows have featured fictional, in-universe flicks — but that tradition has taken on new dimensions in our postmodern, ever-more-self-reflexive era.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 29 May 2025
Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, self-driving cars — these were all fictional concepts that have since crossed the threshold from imagination to innovation.
—Dete Meserve, Space.com, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fictional
Cite this Entry
“Fictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fictional. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share