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So You've Been Asked to Submit a Biography
In a library, the word biography refers both to a kind of book and to a section where books of that kind are found. Each biography tells the story of a real person's life. A biography may be about someone who lived long ago, recently, or even someone who is still living, though in the last case it must necessarily be incomplete. The term autobiography refers to a biography written by the person it's about. Autobiographies are of course also necessarily incomplete.
Sometimes biographies are significantly shorter than a book—something anyone who's been asked to submit a biography for, say, a conference or a community newsletter will be glad to know. Often the word in these contexts is shortened to bio, a term that can be both a synonym of biography and a term for what is actually a biographical sketch: a brief description of a person's life. These kinds of biographies—bios—vary, but many times they are only a few sentences long. Looking at bios that have been used in the same context can be a useful guide in determining what to put in your own.
Examples of bio in a Sentence
Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The Soposkis lived in Ashley, Ohio, per Lynnea’s work bio.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
This would be a great time to try out new fashions or update an online bio.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2026
Shards of glass and ceramic, rusted metal, medical and bio-waste, syringes, cracked circuit boards, and broken electronics protruded everywhere.
—CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bio
Cite this Entry
“Bio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bio. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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