semi-autobiographical
adjective
semi-au·to·bio·graph·i·cal
ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˌbī-ə-ˈgra-fi-kəl 
ˌse-ˌmī-,
-mi-
variants
or less commonly semiautobiographical
: partly autobiography and partly fiction : being a fictionalized account of the author's life
a semi-autobiographical novel/film
… James Herriott's semiautobiographical story of his return from WWII to family and friends.—
TV Guide
TV GuideThe play is a convincing picture of a brief but powerful relationship, based on Owen's copious letters and the semi-autobiographical account of Sassoon's George Sherston.—Simon Berry
Simon BerryPedro Almodóvar's most recent drama is one of his most personal: a semi-autobiographical study of an aging, isolated filmmaker who reconnects with an estranged colleague … and starts reassessing his own life.—Norman Wilner
Norman WilnerIn this semiautobiographical take on her own life, [Pamela] Adlon plays "Sam," a working actress and single parent in Los Angeles.—Kit Steinkellner
Kit Steinkellner
also
: of, relating to, or in the style of a semi-autobiographical work
a semi-autobiographical protagonist/character/role
Through semiautobiographical storytelling, Jenna Dawn Maclellan's project will address the challenges of daily life in the North … —The Sudbury Star
The Sudbury Star The acclaimed artist … is known for the semi-autobiographical nature of his work, which riffs on his own youth in the Vancouver suburb of Port Coquitlam. —Guy Dixon
Guy Dixon Is this all meant to be a semi-autobiographical comment on what fame does to relationships, since [Darren] Aronofsky and [Jennifer] Lawrence are an item in real life? —Ryan Lambie
Ryan Lambie Examples of semi-autobiographical in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The concept is at least semi-autobiographical for the 31-year-old Skinner, who plays Benny, a high-school football star who moves from Idaho to wherever Yates University is supposed to be, hoping for that key thematic offering at the heart of nearly every college show: reinvention.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
Boom!, the semi-autobiographical musical from Rent creator Jonathan Larson, as a hungry young composer racing toward his 30th birthday with more than a note of dread.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 7 May 2025
In addition to writing and directing his semi-autobiographical TV movie The Loneliest Runner in 1976, Landon directed 89 episodes of Little House on the Prairie and 94 episodes of Highway to Heaven.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
Three months after Netflix’s adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s iconic semi-autobiographical books was announced, the role of no less than wee Laura Ingalls has been cast — with Alice Halsey, whose previous TV credits include playing daughter to Brie Larson in Apple TV+’s Lessons in Chemistry.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 2 May 2025
The 10-year-old will be playing the beloved character, who is named after the author of the semi-autobiographical novels by the same title, published in the 1930s.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 2 May 2025
Described as part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, the new adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic semi-autobiographical novels comes from showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine and CBS Studios.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 May 2025
Like On Earth, Emperor is semi-autobiographical and poetically told, but its narrative satisfactions feel new.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 1 May 2025
This semi-autobiographical comedy from Judd Apatow draws heavily from the director’s own experiences, with his real-life wife, Leslie Mann, appearing in the film as the family matriarch and his two daughters, Maude and Iris Apato, appearing as the children.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
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Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
Boom!, the semi-autobiographical musical from Rent creator Jonathan Larson, as a hungry young composer racing toward his 30th birthday with more than a note of dread.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 7 May 2025
In addition to writing and directing his semi-autobiographical TV movie The Loneliest Runner in 1976, Landon directed 89 episodes of Little House on the Prairie and 94 episodes of Highway to Heaven.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
Three months after Netflix’s adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s iconic semi-autobiographical books was announced, the role of no less than wee Laura Ingalls has been cast — with Alice Halsey, whose previous TV credits include playing daughter to Brie Larson in Apple TV+’s Lessons in Chemistry.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 2 May 2025
The 10-year-old will be playing the beloved character, who is named after the author of the semi-autobiographical novels by the same title, published in the 1930s.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 2 May 2025
Described as part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, the new adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic semi-autobiographical novels comes from showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine and CBS Studios.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 May 2025
Like On Earth, Emperor is semi-autobiographical and poetically told, but its narrative satisfactions feel new.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 1 May 2025
This semi-autobiographical comedy from Judd Apatow draws heavily from the director’s own experiences, with his real-life wife, Leslie Mann, appearing in the film as the family matriarch and his two daughters, Maude and Iris Apato, appearing as the children.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Semi-autobiographical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semi-autobiographical. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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