The meaning of FICTIONAL is of, relating to, characterized by, or occurring in fiction : invented by the imagination. How to use fictional in a sentence.

(Definition of fictional from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

Aside from real-world connections, some fictional works may depict characters and events within their own context, entirely separate from the known physical universe: an independent fictional universe.

Fictional characters or events occur only in stories, plays, or films and never actually existed or happened. It is drama featuring fictional characters. Ulverton is a fictional village on the Wessex Downs.

Fictional is almost always applied to stories and characters that are part of creative works, like books and movies, whereas fictitious is most commonly used in the context of things that are made up to …

24 Meith 2025 · The term ‘fictional’ is primarily used in the context of literature, referring to books, stories, and narratives that weave tales about characters and events that do not exist in real life.

Something fictional has been invented, most likely for a book, play, or movie. But if you're really self-centered, you might think a fictional story is actually about you.

14 Noll 2025 · Adjective fictional (comparative more fictional, superlative most fictional) Invented, as opposed to real.

Synonyms for FICTIONAL: fictitious, imaginary, mythical, imagined, fantasied, imaginal, ideal, invented; Antonyms of FICTIONAL: actual, real, existing, true, authentic, genuine, existent, factual

Fictional also means 'relating to fiction and the telling of stories'. James Joyce's final fictional experiment was a novel composed entirely of mathematical equations. Something that is fictitious is …