Factious vs Factitious vs Fictitious: Here’s the Difference with Sentence Examples

While factious and factitious sound like they should have related meanings they do not—not at all.

Factious means “relating to, or stemming from disagreement between groups of people with different ideas about some topic.”

Factitious means “fake” or “man-made.”

Fictitious means “not real”—but not in the same sense as factitious (“fake”).

Let’s take a closer look at all three of these words.

Fictitious can describe a lie, or something imagined, such as an imaginary friend. In other words, something which may be presented as real, or believed to be real by someone, but which does not exist. The characters and events in novels and movies can only be called fictitious if someone presents them as real. Otherwise, the elements of art are considered fictional, not fictitious.

Bilbo Baggins is fictional. The idea that Donald Trump won the US 2020 presidential election is fictitious.

Factitious means “fake”— but not in the same way as fictitious (or fictional).  Something which is factitious certainly exists, but is artificial—like the styrofoam rocks on movie sets. Or an insincere smile. Something factitious presents itself as something natural, or genuine, but is actually human-made and deceptive.

Peter’s employer was not satisfied with his factitious reasons for missing the meeting.

Factitious can apply very broadly—not only to fake smiles and fake rocks, but to fake reasons, arguments, and excuses.

Which brings us back to factious, with its meaning unrelated to these other words.

Factious means “having to do with factions,” and factions are groups of people with different beliefs in the same area, such as, typically, religious factions and political factions:

Factious differences among members of the same religion, like those between protestants and catholics are often worse than disagreements between different religions.

More Examples of How to Use “Factious” in a Sentence

1. While Jane believed her idea would work and bring the people of the community together, the plan itself was factious and split the people living in the community in half.
2. During the interrogations, the detective took a factious approach, trying to turn the suspects against one another.
3. The government announced that the meetings were not to be a platform for factious voices.
4. The Texas campaign was personal, factious, bitter, and full of intrigue.

More Examples of How to Use “Factitious” in a Sentence

1. The beauty-pageant contestants showed a factitious friendliness to one another.
2. The head of the tribe created a factitious demand and spread rumors of shortage, as a means of controlling his followers.
3. Raul kept telling his factitious stories to the public, and unfortunately, people believed his lies.
4. Chris is known for giving factitious compliments to his employees, so not surprisingly, morale in the office is low.
5. Many of my coworkers think that my symptoms are factitious just because I look healthy to them—such is the life of living with an autoimmune disorder.

More Examples of How to Use “Fictitious” in a Sentence

1. Susan gave the salesman a fictitious phone number, hoping he wouldn’t bother her again.
2. The scenarios and events mentioned in the entire memoire are fictitious and staged, but the powerful narration makes it an interesting read.
3. The public should be more interested in knowing the source of the fictitious rumors that caused an end to his campaign.
4. The swindlers stole the materials and sold them to the wholesalers under fictitious names.
5. While running for reelection, John was accused of using speeches that were misleading and fictitious simply to win votes.