To fictionalize something is to take a real event — a crime, a war, a family history — and make a film or a story from it, changing some details and adding people who were never there. The bones of it happened; the dressing is invented.

To fictionalize something把某件事fictionalize is to take a real event就是拿一個真實事件 a crime, a war, a family history像犯罪案件、戰爭、家族歷史 and make a film or a story from it拿來拍成電影或寫成故事 changing some details改動一些細節 and adding people who were never there再加入一些其實不存在的人物 The bones of it happened骨架是真實發生的 the dressing is invented包裝是虛構的

Film people and book reviews use this word. British spelling is often fictionalise.

Film people and book reviews use this word電影圈和書評都會用這個字 British spelling is often fictionalise英式拼法常寫成fictionalise

Though actually, writers argue about how far you may go before “based on a true story” is just a story. The word does not settle that fight; it only names the move from real life into made-up telling.

Though actually不過其實 writers argue about how far you may go作家會爭論可以走多遠 before 'based on a true story' is just a story才會讓「根據真實故事」變成只是個故事 The word does not settle that fight這個字沒有解決那場爭論 it only names the move from real life into made-up telling它只是替「從真實人生走進虛構敘事」這個動作命名

It is a bit formal. Everyday English might just say they made a movie about it, or they turned it into a novel.

It is a bit formal這個字有點正式 Everyday English might just say they made a movie about it日常英文可能只會說they made a movie about it or they turned it into a novel或they turned it into a novel

It does not mean “to lie to someone”. It means to build a story on top of something that really happened.

It does not mean 'to lie to someone'它的意思不是「騙人」 It means to build a story它的意思是在某件真實發生過的事上面 on top of something that really happened蓋一個故事