American spelling: to turn something real or factual into a work of fiction.
From 'fiction' (Latin 'fictio') with the productive American verb suffix '-ize' (from Greek 'zein'). Emerged in the 19th century as authors increasingly adapted true stories.
When authors 'fictionize' their own lives or historical events, they create something that's legally fiction but emotionally true—which is why the line between biography and fiction keeps blurring.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.