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
Dunham—who created the semi-autobiographical Netflix series with her musician husband, Luis Felber—breathes new life into the rom-com by exploring how both thirtysomethings have been damaged by prior relationships and by their disparate family dynamics.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 10 July 2025
And now the comedian, actress and macro-influencer is preparing to take her act to the next level: a five-city tour of her semi-autobiographical, multimedia live show, Girlwind.
—Frank Digiacomo, Billboard, 10 July 2025
That tension may have been baked into the pitch for Too Much from the start, which Dunham has described as both semi-autobiographical and an attempt to re-create the rom-com fantasies of Richard Curtis for the 2020s.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 July 2025
At 34 years old, the actress is finally taking center stage in Too Much, a semi-autobiographical romantic-comedy series from Girls creator Lena Dunham, starring Will Sharpe, Emily Ratajkowski, Naomi Watts, and Andrew Rannells.
—airmail.news, 5 July 2025
Next up: a semi-autobiographical comedy series also on Prime Video.
—Andrea Lavinthal, People.com, 18 June 2025
The semi-autobiographical series quickly became a runaway hit upon release and was subsequently renewed for a second season that is set to premiere on Oct. 23.
—Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 10 June 2025
The book is also a semi-autobiographical trek through parts of Vowinckel’s own life.
—Troy McMullen, ABC News, 8 June 2025
The married filmmakers started penning the semi-autobiographical screenplay as a therapeutic exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after adopting their son.
—Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
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Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 10 July 2025
And now the comedian, actress and macro-influencer is preparing to take her act to the next level: a five-city tour of her semi-autobiographical, multimedia live show, Girlwind.
—Frank Digiacomo, Billboard, 10 July 2025
That tension may have been baked into the pitch for Too Much from the start, which Dunham has described as both semi-autobiographical and an attempt to re-create the rom-com fantasies of Richard Curtis for the 2020s.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 July 2025
At 34 years old, the actress is finally taking center stage in Too Much, a semi-autobiographical romantic-comedy series from Girls creator Lena Dunham, starring Will Sharpe, Emily Ratajkowski, Naomi Watts, and Andrew Rannells.
—airmail.news, 5 July 2025
Next up: a semi-autobiographical comedy series also on Prime Video.
—Andrea Lavinthal, People.com, 18 June 2025
The semi-autobiographical series quickly became a runaway hit upon release and was subsequently renewed for a second season that is set to premiere on Oct. 23.
—Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 10 June 2025
The book is also a semi-autobiographical trek through parts of Vowinckel’s own life.
—Troy McMullen, ABC News, 8 June 2025
The married filmmakers started penning the semi-autobiographical screenplay as a therapeutic exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after adopting their son.
—Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Semi-autobiographical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semi-autobiographical. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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