Fictitious: meaning, definitions and examples

Appropriate for describing something that is invented and does not exist in reality, often used in legal or formal contexts.

• The company created fictitious accounts to hide their losses
• The name he used on the application was fictitious

Refers to something that exists only in the mind and is not real, often used in contexts related to creativity or fantasy.

• Children often have imaginary friends
• Unicorns are imaginary creatures

Mostly used for characters, stories, or events that are invented and exist in literature, movies, or other creative works.

• Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle
• The book is full of fictional adventures

Used for something that is invented, often informally, and can sometimes imply that it is not to be taken seriously.

• The story he told about being a spy was completely made-up
• She always comes up with made-up excuses

Used for things that are deliberately made to deceive or are incorrect, often carrying a negative connotation.

• She gave false information to the police
• The report contained false data

Used to describe something that is invented or not real, often in books, movies, or stories.

• The book is set in a fictitious town
• His claim of being a war hero was found to be completely fictitious

Used when referring to something that is not true or is meant to deceive, with a connotation of dishonesty or error.

• She gave a false name to the police
• The document contained many false statements

Used when describing something that is pretended or fake, typically an emotion or reaction, often with a connotation of deception.

• He feigned surprise when told about the party
• Her interest in his story was clearly feigned

Commonly used to describe making believe or creating an illusion, often in play or imaginative scenarios.

• Children like to pretend they are superheroes
• He pretended to be asleep when his mom walked in

Used to describe something that seems too strange or fantastic to be true, or something that is not real.

• The special effects in the movie were so good, they looked almost unreal
• The view from the mountaintop was unreal