Did you know?
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
Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
He was also listed as a pitcher, according to his bio on the team’s official website.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
His bio on the team site was quickly scrubbed.
—Ava Kelley, NBC news, 27 Feb. 2026
Profiles and bios that are incomplete or a touch generic.
—Rebecca Fearn, SELF, 27 Feb. 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 4 Mar. 2026.
Copy Citation
