semi-autobiographical

adjective

semi-au·​to·​bio·​graph·​i·​cal ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˌbī-ə-ˈgra-fi-kəl How to pronounce semi-autobiographical (audio)
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
The 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
Pedro 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
In this semiautobiographical take on her own life, [Pamela] Adlon plays "Sam," a working actress and single parent in Los Angeles.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 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
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

Examples of semi-autobiographical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Like Gleeson, Lee has ties to this world, having starred on Office writer and actor Mindy Kaling's semi-autobiographical series Never Have I Ever. EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025 Go Tell It on the Mountain This is Baldwin’s semi-autobiographical début novel. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2025 Goldberg is best known as creator, executive producer and showrunner of the single-camera semi-autobiographical comedy The Goldbergs, which aired on ABC for 10 seasons. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of semi-autobiographical was in 1858

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Cite this Entry

“Semi-autobiographical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semi-autobiographical. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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