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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
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 4 Apr. 2026
Eisenhood currently lives in Nashville and was a member of the Stoop Kids band, which broke up in 2023 per its Instagram bio.
—Charmaine Patterson, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Metayer Bowen, 38, was first elected in 2020, won re-election in 2024 and last November was appointed by the commission to serve a second, one-year term as vice mayor, according to her bio on the city’s website.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
She was appointed by the commission last November to serve a second, one-year term as Vice Mayor, according to her bio on the city’s website.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 2 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 5 Apr. 2026.
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