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 New Yorker Consume Me This semi-autobiographical game by director Jenny Jiao Hsia explores her experiences with dieting and disordered eating as an Asian American teenager in the early 2010s, using gameplay mechanics to reflect the emotional and cultural pressures surrounding these issues.
—Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
Gadd is a man transformed from his semi-autobiographical (controversially so) Netflix smash Baby Reindeer, with biceps aplenty.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
His script for the semi-autobiographical Belfast finally won him a little gold man, after seven nominations going back to his first, for Henry V in 1989.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
The Oscar-winning auteur Sarah Polley has tapped Eilish to lead a new adaptation of Plath’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece, The Bell Jar.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Keem reflects on his journey with a semi-autobiographical new album, but his performances lack spark and his warring pop star and rapper sensibilities work against him.
—Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 24 Feb. 2026
Upon seeing the diverse crew on Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical film, Balfe returned to the Outlander set along with Heughen to champion an inclusive transformation of their own production staff.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
His struggles with addiction are well documented and the subject of his semi-autobiographical film, Honey Boy.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
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Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
Gadd is a man transformed from his semi-autobiographical (controversially so) Netflix smash Baby Reindeer, with biceps aplenty.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
His script for the semi-autobiographical Belfast finally won him a little gold man, after seven nominations going back to his first, for Henry V in 1989.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
The Oscar-winning auteur Sarah Polley has tapped Eilish to lead a new adaptation of Plath’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece, The Bell Jar.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Keem reflects on his journey with a semi-autobiographical new album, but his performances lack spark and his warring pop star and rapper sensibilities work against him.
—Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 24 Feb. 2026
Upon seeing the diverse crew on Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical film, Balfe returned to the Outlander set along with Heughen to champion an inclusive transformation of their own production staff.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
His struggles with addiction are well documented and the subject of his semi-autobiographical film, Honey Boy.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Semi-autobiographical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semi-autobiographical. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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