FICTITIOUS Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'fictitious' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of fictitious are apocryphal , fabulous , legendary , and mythical . While all these words mean "having the nature of something imagined or invented," fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception. // fictitious characters

Q: When would 'apocryphal' be a good substitute for 'fictitious'?

The words apocryphal and fictitious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, apocryphal implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate. // a book that repeats many apocryphal stories

Q: Where would 'fabulous' be a reasonable alternative to 'fictitious'?

The synonyms fabulous and fictitious are sometimes interchangeable, but fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence. // a land of fabulous riches

Q: In what contexts can 'legendary' take the place of 'fictitious'?

Although the words legendary and fictitious have much in common, legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition. // the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett

Q: When can 'mythical' be used instead of 'fictitious'?

While in some cases nearly identical to fictitious , mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination. // mythical creatures

fictitious

adjective

fik-ˈti-shəs

Definition of fictitious next

as in fictional

not real and existing only in the imagination his wartime exploits turned out to be entirely fictitious, as he had never even been in the military

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How is the word fictitious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of fictitious are apocryphal, fabulous, legendary, and mythical. While all these words mean "having the nature of something imagined or invented," fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception.

fictitious characters

When would apocryphal be a good substitute for fictitious?

The words apocryphal and fictitious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, apocryphal implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate.

a book that repeats many apocryphal stories

Where would fabulous be a reasonable alternative to fictitious?

The synonyms fabulous and fictitious are sometimes interchangeable, but fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence.

a land of fabulous riches

In what contexts can legendary take the place of fictitious?

Although the words legendary and fictitious have much in common, legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition.

the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett

When can mythical be used instead of fictitious?

While in some cases nearly identical to fictitious, mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination.

mythical creatures

Examples Sentences

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Recent Examples of fictitious Michael Gandolfini’s star rose sharply with his appearance in 2021 The Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark as a young Tony Soprano, the fictitious crime boss immortalized by his late father James Gandolfini. —

Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2024 Barbara Stanwyck stars yet again, now assuming the role of a columnist who chronicles her fictitious life as a housewife at a bucolic Connecticut farm. —

Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2024 On Monday, the 36-year-old took to Instagram to share several posts featuring photos and videos of herself dressed up in a red and white package of a fictitious weight-loss drug named Lizzo with a yellow measuring tape cinched around her waist. —

Ashley Hume, Fox News, 27 Oct. 2024 Everyone read a fictitious story about a school that was running out of water because its local aquifer was drying up. —

Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fictitious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fictitious

Adjective

Estranged from his family and battling health issues, Husk, a fictional character, becomes consumed with stopping Matthews and his destructive grand plan.

Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
Although set in fictional circumstances, it is based on a real 19th-century tragedy that led to an important legal case in Britain.

Michael Paulson, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2024