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
This story, written by two brothers and made by two brothers, is semi-autobiographical.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 19 May 2025
The film is a semi-autobiographical tale set over the course of a single day in the Nigerian metropolis Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 18 May 2025
The concept is at least semi-autobiographical for the 31-year-old Skinner, who plays Benny, a high-school football star who moves from Idaho to wherever Yates University is supposed to be, hoping for that key thematic offering at the heart of nearly every college show: reinvention.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
Boom!, the semi-autobiographical musical from Rent creator Jonathan Larson, as a hungry young composer racing toward his 30th birthday with more than a note of dread.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 7 May 2025
In addition to writing and directing his semi-autobiographical TV movie The Loneliest Runner in 1976, Landon directed 89 episodes of Little House on the Prairie and 94 episodes of Highway to Heaven.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
Three months after Netflix’s adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s iconic semi-autobiographical books was announced, the role of no less than wee Laura Ingalls has been cast — with Alice Halsey, whose previous TV credits include playing daughter to Brie Larson in Apple TV+’s Lessons in Chemistry.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 2 May 2025
The 10-year-old will be playing the beloved character, who is named after the author of the semi-autobiographical novels by the same title, published in the 1930s.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 2 May 2025
Described as part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, the new adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic semi-autobiographical novels comes from showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine and CBS Studios.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 May 2025
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Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 19 May 2025
The film is a semi-autobiographical tale set over the course of a single day in the Nigerian metropolis Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 18 May 2025
The concept is at least semi-autobiographical for the 31-year-old Skinner, who plays Benny, a high-school football star who moves from Idaho to wherever Yates University is supposed to be, hoping for that key thematic offering at the heart of nearly every college show: reinvention.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
Boom!, the semi-autobiographical musical from Rent creator Jonathan Larson, as a hungry young composer racing toward his 30th birthday with more than a note of dread.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 7 May 2025
In addition to writing and directing his semi-autobiographical TV movie The Loneliest Runner in 1976, Landon directed 89 episodes of Little House on the Prairie and 94 episodes of Highway to Heaven.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
Three months after Netflix’s adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s iconic semi-autobiographical books was announced, the role of no less than wee Laura Ingalls has been cast — with Alice Halsey, whose previous TV credits include playing daughter to Brie Larson in Apple TV+’s Lessons in Chemistry.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 2 May 2025
The 10-year-old will be playing the beloved character, who is named after the author of the semi-autobiographical novels by the same title, published in the 1930s.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 2 May 2025
Described as part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, the new adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic semi-autobiographical novels comes from showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine and CBS Studios.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Semi-autobiographical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semi-autobiographical. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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