biography
noun
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So You've Been Asked to Submit a Biography
In a library, the word biography refers both to a kind of book and to a section where books of that kind are found. Each biography tells the story of a real person's life. A biography may be about someone who lived long ago, recently, or even someone who is still living, though in the last case it must necessarily be incomplete. The term autobiography refers to a biography written by the person it's about. Autobiographies are of course also necessarily incomplete.
Sometimes biographies are significantly shorter than a book—something anyone who's been asked to submit a biography for, say, a conference or a community newsletter will be glad to know. Often the word in these contexts is shortened to bio, a term that can be both a synonym of biography and a term for what is actually a biographical sketch: a brief description of a person's life. These kinds of biographies—bios—vary, but many times they are only a few sentences long. Looking at bios that have been used in the same context can be a useful guide in determining what to put in your own.
Examples of biography in a Sentence
Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2025
The standout qualities and traits of successful leaders fill the pages of business books, memoirs, and biographies, as well as appearing in perennial articles like this one.
—Harrison Monarth, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
During his 50-year writing career — which began as a newspaper reporter, including a decade at The Times — McDougal penned 14 books, alternating between true crime accounts of grisly murders and biographies of the rich and famous, including Lew Wasserman, Bob Dylan and Jack Nicholson.
—Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Pop Mart shares the biographies of its artists on its website or social media and posts background stories and additional content for characters to try to foster deeper connection with consumers.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for biography
Cite this Entry
“Biography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biography. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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biography
noun
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