What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
fictional
Example
The Harry Potter series is a fictional story about a young wizard and his adventures. [fictional: adjective]
Example
The author created a fictional world with its own rules and characters. [fictional: adjective]
unreal
Example
The special effects in the movie made the monsters look unreal. [unreal: adjective]
Example
The idea of time travel is fascinating but ultimately unreal. [unreal: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Fictional is more commonly used than unreal in the context of literature or storytelling. However, unreal is more versatile and can be used in a wider range of contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between fictional and unreal?
Both fictional and unreal are relatively formal words that are more likely to be used in academic or professional contexts than in everyday conversation.
