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

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

ˈfik-sh(ə-)nəl-ē

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.

Set in the fictional town of Salem, Illionois, Days of Our Lives follows the lives of several families including the Bradys, the Hortons, the Carvers, the DiMeras and the Kiriakises. —

Marc Berman, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024 Plus, this isn't that much of a political fantasy: There's no way both the president and the vice president could be women, even in this fictional world. —

Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024 This fictional Maine town first appeared in The Dead Zone, served as the setting for Needful Things, and has popped up repeatedly like a bad penny in King’s work over the years. —

Simon Hill, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024 Mythical and fictional animals count; humans and humanoid creatures (e.g., The Hobbit, Angels & Demons) will not. —

Joe Reid, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fictional