Synonyms for

Fictitious

Verb / fɪˈktɪʃʌs / Another word for fictitious — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

not real or true; imaginary or fabricated

Synonyms & similar words

sham fictive false pretended assumed fancied fictional fabricated puton made-up false imaginary pretend fabricated untrue invented unreal phony spurious bogus artificial feigned sham deceptive delusive illusory fantastic mythical legendary

Synonyms by register

Formal

hypothetical imaginary unreal suppositious

Informal

made-up fake bogus phony

Literary

apocryphal mythical legendary

Antonyms

real actual true genuine authentic factual veritable

Common collocations

  • fictitious character
  • fictitious name
  • fictitious story
  • fictitious account
  • fictitious enterprise
  • fictitious world
  • fictitious claim

Word family

noun fiction
adverb fictionally

Usage note

Fictitious is often used to describe things that are invented or not real, especially in the context of stories or names. It is generally more formal than 'made-up'.

Example sentences

  1. The character in the book was fictitious.
  2. The story she told was completely made-up.
  3. The movie was based on a fictitious story.
  4. The painting was an imaginary creation.
  5. The evidence presented was entirely fabricated.

Quotes

  • "The most fictitious parts of this story are the ones that are true." - David Sedaris
  • "It is a fictitious tale, full of scenes of extravagant splendor." - Washington Irving
  • "The real world is much smaller than the imaginary." - Friedrich Nietzsche

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