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
In the first season of Jack Rooke’s semi-autobiographical, silly-sad dramedy, two depressed young men—one straight and eager to fit in, the other gay and nervous about exploring his sexuality—become college roommates, then fast friends.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
The book’s title refers to a scene in Almost Famous, Crowe’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece inspired by this period.
—Keaton Bell, Vogue, 7 Dec. 2025
Lexi, whose semi-autobiographical play caused an uproar in the second season, is an assistant to a showrunner played by Sharon Stone.
—Jami Ganz, Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2025
Following its Cannes premiere earlier this year, My Father’s Shadow has released the first trailer of its semi-autobiographical tale.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2025
His last play, Leopoldstadt, a semi-autobiographical work loosely based on his family's history, premiered in 2020.
—Richard Hall, Time, 29 Nov. 2025
Based on a semi-autobiographical novel by author Amélie Nothomb, the film begins with the birth of the main character, a young Belgian girl whose father works as a diplomat in ’60s Japan, while the nation still had several scars from World War II.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
Miškinis and writer Eglė Vertelytė (who adapts Rimantas Kmita’s semi-autobiographical novel) masterfully dodge genre tropes, avoiding confining their characters to simplistic labels and keeping the focus of their arcs self-motivated.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
With his semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous, Oscar-winning writer-director Cameron Crowe tapped into his past as an outcast high schooler turned unlikely Rolling Stone reporter.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
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Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
The book’s title refers to a scene in Almost Famous, Crowe’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece inspired by this period.
—Keaton Bell, Vogue, 7 Dec. 2025
Lexi, whose semi-autobiographical play caused an uproar in the second season, is an assistant to a showrunner played by Sharon Stone.
—Jami Ganz, Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2025
Following its Cannes premiere earlier this year, My Father’s Shadow has released the first trailer of its semi-autobiographical tale.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2025
His last play, Leopoldstadt, a semi-autobiographical work loosely based on his family's history, premiered in 2020.
—Richard Hall, Time, 29 Nov. 2025
Based on a semi-autobiographical novel by author Amélie Nothomb, the film begins with the birth of the main character, a young Belgian girl whose father works as a diplomat in ’60s Japan, while the nation still had several scars from World War II.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
Miškinis and writer Eglė Vertelytė (who adapts Rimantas Kmita’s semi-autobiographical novel) masterfully dodge genre tropes, avoiding confining their characters to simplistic labels and keeping the focus of their arcs self-motivated.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
With his semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous, Oscar-winning writer-director Cameron Crowe tapped into his past as an outcast high schooler turned unlikely Rolling Stone reporter.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Semi-autobiographical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semi-autobiographical. Accessed 12 Dec. 2025.
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