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

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

Both projects are semi-autobiographical but represent two very different sides of its creator/star. —Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 15 July 2024

Working alongside classical composer Carl Davis, McCartney crafted a semi-autobiographical piece of music about a kid born in Liverpool during World War II – like McCartney himself. —David Lyman, The Enquirer, 12 July 2024

His political disillusionment is recounted in this semi-autobiographical novel, which, because of its anti-Stalinist bent, had to be printed in installments by samizdat (a clandestine network of underground publishers). —Pamela Newton, The Atlantic, 7 July 2024

Celebrating his Broadway debut, Wood played Russell Hammond, lead guitarist of Stillwater, the fictional band featured in the stage adaptation of Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical film from 2000. —Jolene Latimer, Peoplemag, 7 July 2024

This sardonic, semi-autobiographical novel is sure to delight fans of Elif Batuman’s The Idiot. —Shannon Carlin, TIME, 27 June 2024

Richard Gadd’s account of stalking and abuse spares no one, least of all his semi-autobiographical stand-in. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 June 2024

Ali is the main character in the show, which is a semi-autobiographical look at music icon Alicia Keys' life. —Lindsay Kimble, Peoplemag, 17 June 2024

The show is semi-autobiographical and tells the story of Key’s childhood in Manhattan during the 1990s. —Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 16 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above