Barrett didn’t say anything on Tuesday to contradict our understanding of her ideological leanings based on her past rulings, past statements and biography.
Republicans, meanwhile, focused mostly on her biography — including her role as a working mother of seven and her Catholic faith — and her credentials, while offering few specifics about her record as a law professor and judge.
She delivered an inspiring biography at one point, reflecting on the sacrifice her mother made to emigrate to the United States.
As Walter Isaacson pointed out in his biography of Benjamin Franklin, Franklin proposed the postal system as a vital network to bond together the 13 disparate colonies.
Serving that end, the book is not an in-depth biography as much as a summary of Galileo’s life and science, plus a thorough recounting of the events leading up to his famous trial.
The Amazon biography for an author named Papa Faal mentions both Gambia and lists a military record that matches the FBI report.
For those unfamiliar with Michals, an annotated biography and useful essays are included.
Did you envision your Pryor biography as extending your previous investigation—aesthetically and historically?
But Stephen Kotkin's new biography reveals a learned despot who acted cunningly to take advantage of the times.
Watching novelists insult one another is one of the primary pleasures of his biography.
He also published two volumes of American Biography, a work which his death abridged.
Mme. de Chaulieu gave her husband the three children designated in the duc's biography.
The biography of great men always has been, and always will be read with interest and profit.
I like biography far better than fiction myself: fiction is too free.
The Bookman: "A more entertaining narrative whether in biography or fiction has not appeared in recent years."
Related Words
Words related to biography are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word biography . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.
noun as in written account of one's own life
personal history
reminiscences
self-portrayal
noun as in chronicle of events
recapitulation
noun as in the story of one's life
curriculum vitae
noun as in written matter, both fictional and nonfictional
belles-lettres
composition
disquisition
dissertation
information
literary works
observation
written work
noun as in record of experiences
recollection
reminiscence
transactions
Viewing 5 / 10 related words
On this page you'll find 34 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to biography, such as: autobiography, diary, journal, life, life story, and memoir.
Related terms for autobiography - synonyms, antonyms and sentences with autobiography, similar meaning.
personal history
reminiscences
experiences
life history
recollections
confessions
curriculum vitae
personal narrative
Opposite meaning
antiautobiography
historical fact
non-fiction
written history
creative writing
Common usage
apologetics
inspirational
bildungsroman
storytelling
christology
ecclesiology
eschatology
natural theology
pneumatology
scientific writing
soteriology
wisdom literature
academic history
apocalyptic
Sentence Examples
Proper usage in context.
All autobiography is self-indulgent Daphne du Maurier
Every artist writes his own autobiography Havelock Ellis
I'm writing an unauthorized autobiography Stephen Wright
Autobiography is a preemptive strike against biographers Barbara Grizzuti Harrison
The Autobiography of Malcolm X Alex Haley
Autobiography synonyms
What is another word for autobiography .
memoir life, language
life story memoirs
journal diary
memoirs life story
life language, biography
biography life, language
personal history memoirs
confession life, language
reminiscences
history life story
record life story
life history
experiences
recollections
confessions
self-portrayal
curriculum vitae
Biography vs Autobiography: Similarities and Differences
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A biography is an account of someone’s life story that is written by an author who is not the subject of the nook. An autobiography, on the other hand, involves an individual narrating their own life experiences.
The differences between biographies and autobiographies relate most prominently to the authorhship:
Autobiography: When you read an autobiography, you’re getting the author’s own interpretation of their life.
Biography: When you read a biography, you experience the subject’s life through someone else’s lens (Schiffrin & Brockmeier, 2012).
Biography vs Autobiography
1. biography.
A biography is a detailed account of a person’s life, scripted by an author who is not the person who is featured in the text itself.
This type of life story focuses both on factual events in the person’s life, such as birth, education, work, and death, but often also delves into personal aspects like experiences, relationships, and significant achievements.
It may also weave-in cultural and contextual factors that help illuminate the person’s motivations and core values .
Origins of Biographies
The concept of biography as a literary genre dates back to antiquity. Such works were primarily used to capture the lives of dignified individuals, mainly rulers and war heroes.
Suetonius’s Lives of the Caesars and Plutarch’s Parallel Lives are landmark examples from this ancient period (Sweet, 2010).
The popularity of biographical works only grew in the ensuing centuries, and they became a prominent part of many cultures’ literary traditions.
Into the 18th century and during the Enlightenment, biographies began to present a more balanced portrayal of the subject. They would present both their strengths and flaws, providing a holistic perspective on the subject.
Dr. Samuel Johnson’s compilation of English poets biographies, Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets (1779-1781) ushered in a new era of biography writing by focusing on examining human nature (Ditchfield, 2018).
In the modern era, the genre has evolved and broadened, encompassing a diverse range of figures from all walks of life – there’s a biography in every niche imaginable, with each offering readers an in-depth exploration of their lives, their struggles, and their triumphs.
This demonstrates the enduring appeal of biographies and their value in providing snapshots of history through individual lenses.
Key Characteristics of Biographies
The author of the biography is not the person who the story is about. The writer is an observer who collects, verifies, and narrates the life story of the person in focus (Smith et al., 2012).
A biography doesn’t have the of an autobiography. So, a biography is often more trustworthy, but we still need to examine the incentives of the actual author (Jones, 2015).
A biography covers all the significant aspects of the person’s life. From birth to death, or their most noteworthy accomplishments, it encompasses a wide array of life events (Johnson & Johnson, 2017).
A biography prioritizes facts and major milestones in an individual’s life, such as , careers, relationships, and more. It does not delve into trivial details unless they are relevant to the person’s life story (Williams, 2019).
Examples of Biographies
Title: The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets Author: Dr. Samuel Johnson Description: Dr. Johnson’s work profiles the lives of 52 poets from the 17th and 18th centuries, including John Milton and Alexander Pope. He critiques not just the works, but also explores their personal lives and the sociopolitical contexts of their times (Johnson, 1781). Johnson’s study is invaluable for its integrated historic and biographic approach.
Title: The Life of Samuel Johnson Author: James Boswell Description: This work by Boswell explores, in great depth, the life of his friend and mentor, Dr. Samuel Johnson. The biography offers a compelling portrayal of Dr. Johnson’s life, character, eccentricities, and intellectual prowess (Boswell, 1791). Boswell’s vivid account creates a near-physical presence of Johnson to the readers, making it one of the greatest biographies in English literature.
Title: The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt Author: Edmund Morris Description: In this Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, Morris chronicles the early life of Theodore Roosevelt until his ascension to the U.S presidency. The work brilliantly captures Roosevelt’s extraordinary career and his transformation from a frail asthmatic boy into a robust and vigorous leader (Morris, 1979). Morris accurately represents Roosevelt’s indomitable spirit, making it an engaging and educational read.
Title: Steve Jobs Author: Walter Isaacson Description: This comprehensive biography provides a deep-dive into the life and career of Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple. Isaacson had unparalleled access to Jobs and those closest to him, thus presenting an intimate and detailed account. He explores Jobs’ professional endeavors as well as his personal life, revealing his ambition, intensity, and visionary mind that revolutionized several high-tech industries (Isaacson, 2011).
Title: Alexander Hamilton Author: Ron Chernow Description: Ron Chernow provides a sweeping narrative of one of America’s most compelling founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton. Chernow combines extensive research with a flair for storytelling, charting Hamilton’s evolution from an orphan into a political genius. The book sheds light on Hamilton’s crucial role in the formation of the United States’ financial system and his political ideologies (Chernow, 2004).
2. Autobiography
An autobiography is a self-written record of someone’s own life. It is a personal narrative in which the author writes about their life from their own perspective.
Autobiographies are usually centered around the author’s personal experiences, including key milestones, challenges, and achievements (Eakin, 2015).
They’re also often a defense of the person’s perspective (especially in political autobiographies) or insight into their thought processes, which can make them very intimate.
Origins of Autobiographies
The term ‘autobiography’ was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English periodical The Monthly Review, when he suggested the word as a hybrid but condemned it as ‘pedantic’.
Pioneering examples of the genre form include Thomas De Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium-Eater (1821) and the memoirs by veterans of the Napoleonic Wars (Lejeune, 2016).
However, apart from these early instances, autobiographies have been composed by a wide array of individuals from history.
In the early 20th century, the genre witnessed major transformations, and autobiographies started to cover a broader spectrum of experiences, including trauma, struggles, and successes.
‘Black Boy’ by Richard Wright, for instance, shares the author’s experiences with racism and his journey towards developing a literary career (Wright, 1945).
This was followed by a host of autobiographies by public figures sharing their diverse stories, such as Ernest Hemingway’s ‘A Moveable Feast’, depicting his days as a struggling young writer in Paris (Hemingway, 1964).
Autobiography as a genre has continued to evolve over the years, and a variety of forms have emerged to communicate individual experiences globally.
As history has progressed, we see more and more people with diverse perspectives sharing their stories, broadening our understanding of the human experience (Smith & Watson, 2010).
Key Characteristics of Autobiographies
The author of the autobiography is the person the story is about. They are the principal actor and the of the information (Miller, 2014). As a result, we can get a deeper ‘insider’ insight into their mentality and expereinces.
An autobiography emphasizes the personal viewpoint adopted by the author. The story is told from their own emotions, biases, and interpretations, providing a very personal perspective. However, we also need to be aware that it’s going to only present one self-serving perspective on the matter.
Autobiographies go beyond factual accounts and include the author’s internal thoughts, emotions, and introspections about their experiences (Baker et al., 2013).
Unlike a biography, an autobiography may not cover the entirety of the author’s life. Instead, they’re more likely to concentrate on specific themes (like resilience) or significant periods (like childhood or a specific career phase) (Brown & Brown, 2018).
Examples of Autobiographies
Title: Long Walk to Freedom Author: Nelson Mandela Description: “Long Walk to Freedom” provides an in-depth exploration of ex-President Nelson Mandela, his political journey, and his stand against apartheid in South Africa. The biography offers a unique perspective into Mandela’s noble character, his indomitable spirit, and his commitment to justice when faced with grave adversities (Mandela, 1995). Mandela serves as one of our times’ great moral and political leaders through this biography.
Title: The Diary of a Young Girl Author: Anne Frank Description: This biography provides a startling firsthand account of a young Jewish girl named Anne Frank, who with her family, hid from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II. Her diary entries offer profound insights into the fear, hope, and resilience she demonstrated during her two years in hiding (Frank, 1947). Frank’s posthumous biographical record serves as a reminder of the injustices of the past and as a symbol of endurance in the face of oppression.
Title: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Author: Maya Angelou Description: This moving autobiography charts Maya Angelou’s early life, from experiencing racial discrimination in the South to becoming the first black streetcar conductor in San Francisco. Angelou portrays her journey of self-discovery and overcoming traumatic experiences, including racial prejudice and personal trauma, with remarkable strength and grace. Her story is one of resilience, and it speaks powerfully about finding one’s voice (Angelou, 1969).
Title: Night Author: Elie Wiesel Description: “Night” is Wiesel’s personal account of his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II with his father. This heartbreaking narrative describes not only physical hardship and cruel atrocities but also examines the loss of innocence and the struggle to maintain faith in humanity. It stands as a testament to human resilience in the face of unimaginable horror (Wiesel, 1960).
Title: Dreams from My Father Author: Barack Obama Description: In this engaging memoir, the 44th President of the United States narrates the story of his diverse background and early life. The narrative extends from his birth in Hawaii to his first visit to Kenya, from dealing with racial identity to self-discovery. “Dreams from My Father” not only provides personal insights about Obama’s life and values but also discusses issues of race, identity, and purpose (Obama, 1995).
Similarities and Differences Between Biographies and Autobiographies
1. Authorship
Written by a third party. The author and subject are different individuals (Smith et al., 2012).
Written by the subject themselves. The author is the person the story is about (Miller, 2014).
2. Perspective
Presents an objective perspective, offering a balanced view of the subject’s life (Jones, 2015).
Emphasizes a subjective perspective, providing a very personal view of the author’s life.
3. Content
Focuses on facts and major life events, offering a comprehensive account of an individual’s life (Johnson & Johnson, 2017).
Often includes personal reflections and feelings, may focus on specific themes or periods in the author’s life (Baker et al., 2013; Brown & Brown, 2018).
4. Personal Reflections
Contains limited personal reflections or emotions of the subject.
Contains an abundance of personal reflections and emotions from the author (Baker et al., 2013).
5. Subjectivity / Objectivity
More objective due to the distance between the author and the subject (Jones, 2015).
More subjective due to the close relationship between the author and the subject – they’re the same person.
6. Strengths
Provides an impartial and factual account of a person’s life, which can be helpful for historical or academic study (Williams, 2019).
Gives a deeper insight into a person’s thoughts and emotions, providing a unique perspective on their life experiences (Baker et al., 2013).
7. Weaknesses
May lack personal insight or emotional depth due to its objective approach (Williams, 2019).
May be biased or overly emotional due to its subjective approach, and may not cover the entirety of the author’s life (Brown & Brown, 2018).
While both biographies and autobiographies are excellent sources of information and entertainment about significant figures in history (or the present!), they serve different purposes. By knowing the different purposes of each, we can develop stronger media literacy , understanding what the intention of the author is, and how we should approach the text.
Angelou, M. (1969). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings . Random House.
Baker, J., Davis, E., & Thompson, K. (2013). Reflection and Emotions in Autobiography . Chicago University Press.
Boswell, J. (1791). The Life of Samuel Johnson . J.R. Taylor.
Brown, J., & Brown, S. (2018). Thematic Focus in Autobiography Writing . Princeton University Press.
Chernow, R. (2004). Alexander Hamilton . Penguin Books.
Ditchfield, S. (2018). Extracting the Domestic from the Didactic: Transmission and Translation of the Sacred in The Lives of the Ancient Fathers (1672–1675). Church History and Religious Culture, 98 (1), 28-50.
Eakin, P. J. (2015). How Our Lives Become Stories: Making Selves . Cornell University Press.
Frank, A. (1947). The Diary of a Young Girl . Contact Publishing.
Hemingway, E. (1964). A Moveable Feast . Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Isaacson, W. (2011). Steve Jobs . Simon & Schuster.
Johnson, M., & Johnson, S. (2017). A Comprehensive Guide to Biography Writing . New York: Penguin.
Johnson, S. (1781). The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets . Printed by C. Bathurst, J. Buckland [and 28 others in London].
Jones, B. (2015). The Art of Writing Biographies: An Objective Approach . Oxford University Press.
Lejeune, P. (2016). On Autobiography . University of Minnesota Press.
Mandela, N. (1995). Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela . Macdonald Purnell.
Miller, R. (2014). The Self as the Subject: Autobiography Writing . Stanford University Press.
Morris, E. (1979). The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt . Coward, McCann & Geoghegan.
Obama, B. (1995). Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance . Crown Publishing Group.
Schiffrin D., & Brockmeier J. (2012). Narrative Identity and Autobiographical Recall. Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements, 70 , 113-144.
Smith, J., Davis, M., & Thompson, S. (2012). Third Party Narratives: An Exploration of Biography Writing . Cambridge University Press.
Smith, S., & Watson, J. (2010). Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives . University of Minnesota Press.
Sweet, R. (2010). Biographical Dictionaries and Historiography. Bibliothèque d’Humanisme et Renaissance, 72 (2), 355–368.
Wiesel, E. (1960). Night . Hill & Wang.
Williams, T. (2019). The Importance of Facts in Biographies . HarperCollins.
Wright, R. (1945). Black Boy: A Record of Childhood and Youth . Harper & Brothers.
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 15 Body Language Signs He Likes You
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1. autobiography
Rhymes with autobiography, how do you spell autobiography is it authobiography .
Autobiography in a sentence
Quotes about Autobiography
noun. ['ˌɔtəbaɪˈɑːgrəfi'] a biography of yourself.
life history
auto- (English)
αὐτo- (Ancient Greek (to 1453))
biography (English)
astrophotography
historiography
crystallography
cinematography
phytogeography
chromatography
bibliography
radiography
pornography
polarography
oceanography
iconography
hagiography
choreography
photography
orthography
mammography
lithography
kaumography
A common misspelling of autobiography is authobiography
Sentences with autobiography
1. Noun, singular or mass Start your autobiography with something known in the writing world as a "hook."
Quotes about autobiography
1. Every artist writes his own autobiography . - Havelock Ellis 2. All art is autobiographical. The pearl is the oyster's autobiography . - Federico Fellini 3. A man's face is his autobiography . A woman's face is her work of fiction. - Oscar Wilde
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Key Differences
Know the Differences & Comparisons
Difference between Biography and Autobiography
Both of these two presents the view of, what happened in the past where the author lived. These are non-fiction books, written in chronological order, tells a story about the person who made a significant contribution in a specific field. Many think that the two writing forms are one and the same thing, but there are noticeable difference between the two, that are presented in the given article.
Content: Biography Vs Autobiography
Comparison chart.
Basis for Comparison
Biography
Autobiography
Meaning
Biography refers to an account that tells someone else's life story.
Autobiography means an account that tells your life story.
Authorization
Can be written, with or without the authorization of the subject.
Not required
Written in
Third person
First person
Purpose
To inform
To express and inform
Outlook
Based on facts collected by the author.
Full of emotions and thoughts.
Definition of Biography
A biography also referred as ‘bio’ is a detailed account of a person’s life written or produced by another person. It gives an elaborate information regarding the birthplace, educational background, work, relationships and demise of the person concerned. It presents the subject’s intimate details about life, focusing on the highs and lows and analysing their whole personality.
A biography is usually in the written form but can also be made in other forms of a music composition or literature to film interpretation.
It is the recreation of the life of an individual composed of words by another person. The author collects every single detail about the subject and presents those facts in the biography, which are relevant and interesting, to engross the readers in the story.
Definition of Autobiography
An autobiography is the life sketch of a person written by that person himself or herself. The word auto means ‘self.’ Therefore, autobiography contains all the elements of a biography but composed or narrated by the author himself. He/She may write on their own or may hire ghostwriters to write for them.
An autobiography presents the narrator’s character sketch, the place where he is born and brought up, his education, work, life experiences, challenges, and achievements. This may include events and stories of his childhood, teenage, and adulthood.
Key Differences Between Biography and Autobiography
The difference between biography and autobiography are discussed in detail in the following points:
Biography is a detailed account of a person’s life written by someone else, while an autobiography is written by the subject themselves.
Biography can be written with (authorised) or without permission (unauthorised) from the person/heir’s concerned. Therefore, there are chances of factual mistakes in the information. On the other hand, autobiographies are self-written and therefore doesn’t require any authorization.
Biographies contain information that is collected over a period of time from different sources and thus, it projects a different outlook to the readers. On the other hand, autobiographies are written by the subject themselves, therefore, the writer presents the facts and his thinking in his own way, thus providing an overall narrow and biased perspective to the readers.
In an Autobiography, the author uses the first narrative like I, me, we, he, she, etc. This, in turn, makes an intimate connection between the author and the reader since the reader experience various aspects as if he/she is in that time period. As opposed a biography is from a third person’s view and is much less intimate.
The purpose of writing a biography is to introduce and inform the readers about the person and his life whereas an autobiography is written in order to express, the life experiences and achievements of the narrator.
Video: Biography Vs Autobiography
There are several autobiographies which are worth mentioning like ‘The Story of My Life’ by Helen Keller, ‘An Autobiography’ by Jawaharlal Nehru, ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ by Anne Frank, ‘Memoirs of the Second World War’ by Winston Churchill, ‘Wings of Fire’ by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and much more.
Examples of some famous biographies are- Tolstoy: A Russian Life by Rosamund Bartlett, His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis, Einstein: The Life and Times by Ronald William Clark, Biography of Walt Disney: The Inspirational Life Story of Walt Disney – The Man Behind “Disneyland” by Steve Walters, Princess Diana- A Biography Of The Princess Of Wales by Drew L. Crichton.
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autobiography
Dictionary entries
Quote, rate & share
Meaning of autobiography
autobiography ( English)
Origin & history.
A self -written biography ; the story of one's own life .
Samuel Clemens Autobiography […] inevitably consists mainly of extinctions of the truth, shirkings of the truth, partial revealments of the truth, with hardly an instance of plain straight truth […]
1960 , P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing , chapter XI: " Here I was interrupted, as I'm so often interrupted when giving my views on the Yeoman's Wedding Song, by her saying that she was dying to hear all about it but would rather wait till she could get it in my autobiography . "
heterobiography
▾ Derived words & phrases
autobiographical , autobiographically
▾ Further examples
The bassist’s new autobiography lifts the lid on a difficult, violent childhood and a conflicted relationship with Anthony Kiedis In his new memoir, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea recalls a Halloween night of genuine horror. The Guardian, 4 November 2019
Rihanna is ready for the release of her autobiography ! The 31-year-old Anti pop icon got glam for her book launch party on Friday night (October 11) at The Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Just Jared, 12 October 2019
The actress, 45, will get behind the camera for Unreasonable Behaviour, a film about Don, 85, which is based on his autobiography of the same name, it was revealed on Thursday. Mail Online, 19 November 2020
Michael Parkinson wrote in his autobiography about the time Orson Welles appeared on the first series of his BBC1 chat show in the 1970s. Independent.ie, 9 November 2020
Cameron Smith the golfer isn't the only Cameron Smith making headlines on Monday morning as the release of the NRL great's autobiography sees him in the news daily. news.com.au, 15 November 2020
The actor’s autobiography confronts the abuse he experienced at the hands of the church. But he has just as much contempt for Hollywood – and US presidents from Obama to TrumpForget the pollsters. The Guardian, 8 November 2020
In September this year, he published his autobiography Gracias a la Vida ('Thank You, Life'), in which he talks about his good fortune in having the career he has had and leading a privileged life. FIFA, 17 November 2020
▾ Dictionary entries
Entries where "autobiography" occurs:
autobiografia : see also autobiografía autobiografia (Catalan) Origin & history From auto- + biografia. Noun autobiografia (fem.) (pl. autobiografias) autobiography Related words & phrases autobiògraf autobiogràfic autobiografia (Italian) Origin &…
autobiografía : see also autobiografia autobiografía (Asturian) Origin & history auto- + biografía Noun autobiografía (fem.) (pl. autobiografíes) autobiography autobiografía (Galician) Origin & history auto- + biografía Noun autobiografía (fem.)…
autobiografie : see also Autobiografie autobiografie (Czech) Noun autobiografie (fem.) autobiography (biography of oneself) autobiografie (Dutch) Pronunciation Pronunciation example: Audio Noun autobiografie (fem.) (pl. autobiografieën, diminutive…
memoir : …away. Any form of narrative describing the personal experiences of a writer. Usage A memoir may differ from a simple biography or autobiography by not focusing on the author as the primary subject matter, but on people and events in the subject's life. Emphasis…
autobiografija : see also autobiogrāfija autobiografija (Lithuanian) Noun autobiography autobiografija (Serbo-Croatian) Noun autobiografija (fem.) autobiography
The references include Wikipedia, Cambridge Dictionary Online, Oxford English Dictionary, Webster's Dictionary 1913 and others. Details can be found in the individual articles.
Definition of biography
Did you know.
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
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'biography.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Late Greek biographia , from Greek bi- + -graphia -graphy
Kids definition of biography, more from merriam-webster on biography.
Nglish: Translation of biography for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of biography for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about biography
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Are you looking for an autobiography template?
First things first.
What is your story? Not the shiny, air-brushed one you edit before posting on Instagram or the one you politely share during a writer’s chat on Zoom.
By your story, I mean the one with the cracks in it caused by childhood insecurities or the deep craters forged by unexpected collisions with life—the triumphs and tragedies that are forever etched into your DNA.
Yes, that story.
When you’re truly ready to write an autobiography, you’ll know it because you’ve come to a point in your life where the beauty of sharing your story has nothing to do with perfection. It’s knowing that despite the roller coaster ride that started at birth, you’ve found the courage to stay on it—sometimes holding on for dear life and other times riding with your hands up and screaming at the top of your lungs.
Get your autobiography template here:
Need A Nonfiction Book Outline?
You’ve lived thoroughly and learned to embrace who you’ve become in the process, scars and all.
This post will show you the format for writing an autobiography and the best way to package your story so you can provide the best reader experience possible.
This blog gives you a free autobiography template and more…
What is an autobiography.
The basic definition of an autobiography is that it’s a first-person account of your life. It differs from a memoir , which usually focuses on a single event or group of events that lead you to a discovery about yourself, your life, or some other revelation. An autobiography is a look at the total sum of your life from birth (early childhood) to the time of your book’s writing that highlights the key points that shaped who you’ve become.
Ready to start writing your autobiography? Let’s get into it…
What is the format for an autobiography?
Just like any good story, every autobiography has a beginning, middle, and end. But before you begin filling in the sections, you want to come up with a theme for your book . Most people have too much life content to fit into one book. Selecting the parts that fit under the umbrella of a theme will make the book easier to follow.
When coming up with a theme, think about what you want the key takeaway to be for the reader. You don’t want to give them some boring slog through your life history. If you want them to feel something, your book needs direction. That’s where your theme takes the lead. By keeping it in the back of your mind while writing, you’ll give your readers a track to stay on. Otherwise, they may lose interest and stop reading.
Once you have your theme, right down the events in your life that are related to your book’s focus. You’ll plug these into the outline as you develop it.
Some examples of autobiography book themes are:
Overcoming challenges
Creating your own destiny
The unbreakable bonds of family
A faith journey
Perseverance
Your theme can be whatever you want it to be, but keep your audience in mind when selecting one. Below you’ll find an autobiography template. It includes an outline with writing prompts in each section.
Whether you are an “outliner” (someone who outlines) or a “pantser” (someone who writes by the seat of their pants), the outline has enough structure and flexibility to make both writer types happy.
Autobiography Template: An Outline
I’ve laid out what a traditional autobiography might look like below. But to really help you get the most out of the blog post, I recommend downloading our nonfiction book outline to use alongside this guide.
1. Introduction
Before you share your life story, prepare your readers for what is to follow by introducing yourself and telling them what they can expect. You can cover some or all of the following:
Why you are writing your autobiography?
What do you hope the reader will take away from the experience?
Any pertinent information that’s not covered in your book but that is needed for context.
2. The beginning – the early years
Since autobiographies are a condensed view of your life, you want to focus on the significant events that will move your story forward.
Where do you want to begin your story?
Where does your book’s theme first show up when you look back over your life? You want the opening of your book to have an impact, so choose something that will hook your readers and bring them into your world.
How did your formative years influence how you viewed yourself? What we experience during our childhood can affect us for a lifetime. Consider how the early events of your life developed your character.
Who influenced you the most during your childhood?
What defining moments do you remember?
Where (on your timeline) and how you start your story is up to you. You want it to be something strong and significant to have the most impact on your reader. Here are the first few sentences of some autobiographies for inspiration .
“Some would say the McEntires are a very set-in-their-ways, stubborn, hardheaded bunch of people. But I think that hardheadedness is what got Daddy to where he was, Grandpap to where he was, and his father, Pap, to where he was. Some might say it wasn’t all that far- but it was much further than where they started!”
– Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots by Reba McEntire
(Nostalgia / Specific Event)
“My grandmother Nanny and I were at the picture show. I hadn’t reached two digits yet in age because I distinctly remember my feet couldn’t touch the floor of the movie house. Nanny and I were still living in San Antonio, Texas. My mama and daddy had gone ahead to California, where Nanny and I would later wind up.” – This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett
(From Birth)
“ If you know my music, you almost certainly know me as Craig Morgan. But I was actually born Craig Morgan Greer. Craig Morgan came along many years later.” – God, Family, Country: A Memoir by Craig Morgan
31 Best Autobiographies
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3. The middle- halfway between the early years and where you are today.
If you are using a timeline to divide your story, the period that you cover during the “middle” of your autobiography depends on how old you are at the writing of your book. If you are in your golden years, your midpoint might be in your 30s or 40s. For someone like Malala Yousafzai , who wrote her autobiography at age 15, her “middle” looked very different.
Whichever “middle” you choose consider the following:
What are the defining moments during this time of your life?
Did they change how you viewed yourself?
Did they change the trajectory of what you initially thought you’d do with your life?
Who had the most influence on your life during this time?
What are some of the challenges you faced? How did you overcome them?
Did your worldview change during this time? If so, in what ways?
If your “middle” doesn’t fit neatly into a timeline, consider grouping your autobiography into themed sections.
The autobiography Cash by Johnny Cash groups his story into sections based on places that had special meaning to him: Cinnamon Hill, The Road, Port Rickey, Bon Aqua, and The Road Again.
4. The end—wrap-up
The end of your autobiography is the climax. It’s what you’ve been leading your reader to since the first sentence of your book.
Where are you in your life now? What have you learned? How has your journey impacted who you’ve become?
How do you want the reader to feel when they read the last sentence of your book? Inspired? Hopeful? Full? Enlightened? Satisfied? All of the above?
Is there any part of your life that feels unfinished or incomplete?
Looking back over your life, what is the greatest lesson you learned?
Don’t forget your audience, especially at the beginning of your book. You want to hook your readers early and bring them along for the ride.
Write an eye-catching autobiography title for your book.
Leave out the minutia. If it doesn’t move your story along, drop it.
Tone matters. A good rule of thumb is to write your story like you were talking to a friend. Your story doesn’t have to be a monotone race to the finish line. Spice it up. Add some sparkle. Make sure your personality shines through.
It’s always about the story. Buyers pick up your book to be entertained. Regardless of how serious your story is, it should be presented in a way that makes the reader want to keep turning the page.
Every good story has a resolution. Good or bad, offer a resolution for each life conflict you introduce.
As you share the final pieces of your story, use the end of your story to reflect on where you’ve been, what you’ve learned, and where you plan to go from there. Every relationship that ends can benefit from closure, and if the end of your story is not the end of your relationship with your reader, tell them where they can go to continue getting to know you.
Writing your autobiography is a courageous move, but who better to write your life story than you? If you have experiences that others will find interesting, share! You never know how your journey will impact someone else.
If you’re serious about getting your story published, Selfpublishing.com has a team of publishing experts who can walk you through the book development process.
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The 7-Word Autobiographies of Famous Writers, Artists, Musicians, and Philosophers
By maria popova.
Tom Wolfe drops some delightful vintage lingo:
Ace daddy, gym rat, Balzolan reporter, Ph.D.
The magnificent Cheryl Strayed , whose Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar was among the best psychology and philosophy books of 2012 and is one of the best existential favors one can do oneself, goes for truth-by-way-of-its-opposite, offering “seven words that won’t define [her]”:
Daniel Dennett , man of infinite wisdom and endlessly quotable insight :
Philosopher, professor, author, sailor, New Atheist
Jim Holt , whose Why Does the World Exist?: An Existential Detective Story remains indispensable and who has previously shared some mind-bending insight on the nature of “nothing” :
Failed mathematician who happily declined into journalism.
David Byrne , who knows a thing or two about how music and creativity work , appears blissfully oblivious to the 7-word-limit brief:
Daniel Kahneman , whose Thinking, Fast and Slow is one of the most insightful psychology books in recent history, compensates for Byrne’s excess with his own sub-quota answer:
Endlessly amused by people’s minds
Brian Eno , sage of timeless insight on art :
I like making and thinking about culture.
Andrew Solomon , whose meditation on horizontal vs. vertical identity and the power of love is a soul-stirring must-read, goes for something his mother used to say to him:
Good listeners: more interesting than good talkers.
Hans Ulrich Obrist , legendary curator and art instigator :
Catalyst Conversation Curating Curiosity Junctionmaking Protest against forgetting
Malcolm Gladwell , overlord of the contrarian :
Father said: “Anything but journalism.” I rebelled.
William Gibson , champion of “personal microculture” and a solid daily creative routine , offers an answer somewhere between Yoda and Gertrude Stein:
Postwar. Cold War. Stop the War. Later.
Elizabeth Gilbert playfully riffs off the title of her modern classic :
Eats/Loves too much…should Pray more.
Ed Ruscha , who does indeed have a soft spot for sign painting :
Lapsed catholic Newspaper carrier Hitchhiker Sign painter Printer’s devil Daydreamer Artist
Rufus Wainwright , music god , rebels against humility with his characteristic charming irreverence:
According to Elton John world’s greatest singer-songwriter
Sherry Turkle stays true to her technodystopia :
Technology doesn’t just change what we do; it changes who we are.
Errol Morris , documentarian extraordinaire and bastion of photographic truth :
autodidact, necrophile, voyeur, filmmaker, opinionated writer, father
Don DeLillo , who also abides by a rigorous writing routine , goes for a beautiful format:
Bronx boy wondering why he is here.
Madeleine Albright echoes Helen Keller :
Optimist who worries a lot; Grateful American
John Irving , crusader against censorship , employs a strategic semicolon:
Irving was apparently so delighted by the exercise that he took the liberty of writing a few more seven-word bios for other notables:
FOR DICKENS (THE WRITER): Had many kids; wrote about unhappy childhoods. FOR THE OTHER DICKENS, MY DOG: Best dog ever — she had a family. AND THOMAS HARDY: Fate, the universe driver; stopped writing for idiots. NATURALLY, I COULDN’T RESIST MELVILLE: More than a postal worker; knew whales, too.
Edmund de Waal has some fun with it:
Actually, I still make pots you know.
Rem Koolhaas stays true to form:
Mystic rational sober baroque patient immediate
Andrew Sullivan , who is one of the living reasons to love the internet and whose decades-long advocacy has been critical in the historic attainment of marriage equality , follows Strayed’s suit with anti-descriptive sarcasm:
French, straight, single, Anglican, diabetic, illiterate, slut.
Then comes Dan Savage , whose own tireless advocacy can’t be overstated:
Anish Kapoor offers what’s arguably the most beautiful, in sheer poetics of language, answer:
As if to celebrate I discovered a mountain
But my favorite comes from notebook-lover Joan Didion , who has a rare gift for wry self-awareness and unwavering self-respect :
Seven words do not yet define me.
And, of course, this omnibus wouldn’t be complete without Holdengräber’s own 7-word autobiography, as pointedly brilliant as the man:
Mother always said: Two ears, one mouth.
See the full conversations on the LIVE from the NYPL Vimeo channel , treat yourself to one of the upcoming live events , and join me in supporting NYPL programming , which, like Brain Pickings , is made possible by patron donations.
— Published July 11, 2013 — https://www.themarginalian.org/2013/07/11/nypl-live-holdengraber-7-word-bios/ —
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Synonyms for autobiography include biography, life, memoir, diary, record, bio, history, journal, adventures and experience. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com!
Autobiography synonyms
Another way to say Autobiography? Synonyms for Autobiography (other words and phrases for Autobiography).
24 Synonyms & Antonyms for BIOGRAPHY
Find 24 different ways to say BIOGRAPHY, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
What is another word for biography
Synonyms for biography include account, life, memoir, autobiography, profile, bio, record, vita, sketch and diary. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com!
AUTOBIOGRAPHY in Thesaurus: 100+ Synonyms & Antonyms for AUTOBIOGRAPHY
What's the definition of Autobiography in thesaurus? Most related words/phrases with sentence examples define Autobiography meaning and usage.
Autobiography Synonyms: 23 Synonyms and Antonyms for Autobiography
Synonyms for AUTOBIOGRAPHY: biography, memoirs, life, journal, diary, letters, memoir, personal history, self-portrayal, confession, experiences, anamnesis, account ...
More 120 Autobiography Synonyms. Similar words for Autobiography
More 120 Autobiography synonyms. What are another words for Autobiography? Memoir, life story, journal, memoirs. Full list of synonyms for Autobiography is here.
Biography vs. Autobiography: Differences and Features
Analyze the differences: biography vs autobiography. Includes descriptions & examples of each. We've even highlighted key differences for easy reference.
Biography Synonyms: 34 Synonyms and Antonyms for Biography
Biography vs Autobiography: Similarities and Differences
A biography is an account of someone's life story that is written by an author who is not the subject of the nook. An autobiography, on the other hand, involves an individual narrating their own life experiences. The differences between biographies and autobiographies relate most prominently to the authorhship: Autobiography: When you read an ...
Another word for AUTOBIOGRAPHY > Synonyms & Antonyms
Similar words for Autobiography. Definition: noun. ['ˌɔtəbaɪˈɑːgrəfi'] a biography of yourself.
Difference between Biography and Autobiography
Difference between Biography and Autobiography The two traditional forms of literature that describe the character sketch and course of the life of a person are biography and autobiography. Biography is the life history of an individual, written by someone else, whereas the autobiography is an expression of a person's life, written by self.
BIOGRAPHY Synonyms
Synonyms for BIOGRAPHY in English: life story, life, record, account, profile, memoir, CV, life history, curriculum vitae, description, …
autobiography: meaning, synonyms
autobiography ( countable and uncountable, pl. autobiographies) A self -written biography; the story of one's own life. Samuel Clemens. Autobiography […] inevitably consists mainly of extinctions of the truth, shirkings of the truth, partial revealments of the truth, with hardly an instance of plain straight truth […]
Biography Definition & Meaning
biography: [noun] a usually written history of a person's life.
The Only (FREE) Autobiography Template You Need
What is an autobiography? The basic definition of an autobiography is that it's a first-person account of your life. It differs from a memoir, which usually focuses on a single event or group of events that lead you to a discovery about yourself, your life, or some other revelation.
The 7-Word Autobiographies of Famous Writers, Artists, Musicians, and
The 7-Word Autobiographies of Famous Writers, Artists, Musicians, and Philosophers. By Maria Popova. Since 2005, the LIVE from the NYPL program masterminded and anchored by intellectual impresario Paul Holdengräber — one of the most interesting people to ever encounter, should you be so fortunate — has transformed the New York Public ...
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Find 14 different ways to say AUTOBIOGRAPHY, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
Synonyms for AUTOBIOGRAPHY: biography, memoir (s), life, diary, bio, record, history, chronicle, hagiography, annals
Synonyms for autobiography include biography, life, memoir, diary, record, bio, history, journal, adventures and experience. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com!
Another way to say Autobiography? Synonyms for Autobiography (other words and phrases for Autobiography).
Find 24 different ways to say BIOGRAPHY, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
Synonyms for biography include account, life, memoir, autobiography, profile, bio, record, vita, sketch and diary. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com!
What's the definition of Autobiography in thesaurus? Most related words/phrases with sentence examples define Autobiography meaning and usage.
Synonyms for AUTOBIOGRAPHY: biography, memoirs, life, journal, diary, letters, memoir, personal history, self-portrayal, confession, experiences, anamnesis, account ...
More 120 Autobiography synonyms. What are another words for Autobiography? Memoir, life story, journal, memoirs. Full list of synonyms for Autobiography is here.
Analyze the differences: biography vs autobiography. Includes descriptions & examples of each. We've even highlighted key differences for easy reference.
Synonyms for BIOGRAPHY: autobiography, life, memoir, journal, life-story, bio, vita, saga, profile, life-history, experiences, adventures, biographical sketch ...
Synonyms for BIOGRAPHY: memoir, autobiography, bio, history, life, hagiography, psychobiography, obituary, chronicle, profile
A biography is an account of someone's life story that is written by an author who is not the subject of the nook. An autobiography, on the other hand, involves an individual narrating their own life experiences. The differences between biographies and autobiographies relate most prominently to the authorhship: Autobiography: When you read an ...
Similar words for Autobiography. Definition: noun. ['ˌɔtəbaɪˈɑːgrəfi'] a biography of yourself.
Difference between Biography and Autobiography The two traditional forms of literature that describe the character sketch and course of the life of a person are biography and autobiography. Biography is the life history of an individual, written by someone else, whereas the autobiography is an expression of a person's life, written by self.
Synonyms for BIOGRAPHY in English: life story, life, record, account, profile, memoir, CV, life history, curriculum vitae, description, …
autobiography ( countable and uncountable, pl. autobiographies) A self -written biography; the story of one's own life. Samuel Clemens. Autobiography […] inevitably consists mainly of extinctions of the truth, shirkings of the truth, partial revealments of the truth, with hardly an instance of plain straight truth […]
biography: [noun] a usually written history of a person's life.
What is an autobiography? The basic definition of an autobiography is that it's a first-person account of your life. It differs from a memoir, which usually focuses on a single event or group of events that lead you to a discovery about yourself, your life, or some other revelation.
The 7-Word Autobiographies of Famous Writers, Artists, Musicians, and Philosophers. By Maria Popova. Since 2005, the LIVE from the NYPL program masterminded and anchored by intellectual impresario Paul Holdengräber — one of the most interesting people to ever encounter, should you be so fortunate — has transformed the New York Public ...