fictional

adjective

ˈfik-shnəl How to pronounce fictional (audio)
Definition of fictionalnext
as in fictitious
not real and existing only in the imagination the events in the horror movie seemed so real to some fans that they could not believe that the whole thing was fictional

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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 fictional The series followed a glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School and the student’s director and teacher Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison). — Mariel Turner, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026 Gen Z Wants to Go Ghost, Not Girlboss That said, the characters do have to be worth clipping, and love him or hate him, Ryan Murphy has always had a knack for creating fictional people who feel bigger than whatever nonsensical story spawned them. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026 While Hefner was married multiple times in real life, the character Biel will play is fictional. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026 Featuring a mixture of stop-motion and 2D animation, the movie functions as a surrealist fairy-tale propaganda film produced by the leader of a fictional religious sect that uses the media as a form method for indoctrinating his followers. — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fictional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fictional
  1. fictitious
  2. imaginary
  3. mythical
  4. imagined
Adjective
  • The Swiss manufacturer has just unveiled a new lineup of Seamaster Diver 300Ms inspired by James Bond and Spectre, the fictitious crime org seen in the 007 flicks.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The Russian security service’s Meliorator tool has been used to create over a thousand profiles of fictitious Americans, primarily on X (formerly Twitter), to spread Kremlin narratives at a fraction of the cost of human troll farms.
    — Seva Gunitsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of fictitious
Adjective
  • This comes after the league rescinded fines levied against 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk and Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson for pretending to chug an imaginary drink.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Still, her father’s dinner does not erase his refusal to recognize her gender; his refusal does not make the dinner or hospital bill imaginary.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of imaginary
Adjective
  • Jennifer De Angelo Baxter sculpted green snake heads and a headpiece out of foam, aluminum foil and cardboard to conjure the mythical Greek monster Medusa.
    — Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2026
  • This coincidental trait inspired researchers to name the new genus Herugavialis after Heru, or Horus, the Egyptian god associated with the construction of the mythical creature.
    — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of mythical
Adjective
  • Drawn to the tactile and familiar qualities of paper, Teo uses playful forms and visual metaphors to transform everyday subjects and construct whimsical, imagined worlds.
    — New York Times Games, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The production was full of nostalgia for an imagined past when the small screen was more ascendant and apolitical, with tributes to Charlie’s Angels and Dolly Parton shirking any embrace of the form’s progressive history.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of imagined

Browse Nearby Words

fiction
fictional
fictionalized
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fictional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fictional. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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