biography
noun
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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 biography in a Sentence
E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
In the dozens of biographies of Washington published in the decade after his death, few bothered to mention slavery at all.
—John Garrison Marks, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
Matt Nagy’s biography is no longer on the Chiefs website and the team shared a quick farewell message Friday on social media to their now-former offensive coordinator.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026
The biographies and brief stories of the nine people who were enslaved by Washington were also still listed on the NPS website as of Thursday afternoon.
—Deena Zaru, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for biography
Cite this Entry
“Biography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biography. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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biography
noun
