<p>Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is the world’s most abundant renewable carbon source, yet its potential to drive a circular bioeconomy remains largely untapped. Microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) offer a promising route for converting this complex feedstock into electricity or valuable chemicals. However, LCB-MET advancement is hindered by a fundamental challenge: LCB recalcitrance necessitates depolymerization, a process mismatched with the metabolic capabilities of most electroactive microorganisms (EAMs). While EAMs excel at oxidizing simple substrates, most lack the hydrolytic machinery to break down LCB, creating a critical performance bottleneck. Addressing this requires a multi-disciplinary approach. At the heart of the biological challenge lie two core paradigms,each drawing on microorganisms sourced from nature or artificially engineered: (i) specialized strains capable of both hydrolytic and electrogenic functions, or (ii) synthetic consortia establishing division of labor between fermentative microbes and EAMs. These strategies do not operate in a vacuum; their performance is constrained by materials and environment. To evaluate the progress and potential of these interdependent biological, material, and engineering strategies, this review examines the landscape of LCB utilization in METs. It synthesizes recent advances in coupling depolymerization with extracellular electron transfer, critically evaluate microbial players from pure strains and mixed communities to genetically modified organisms and synthetic consortia, and assesses the key operational parameters, challenges, and potential solutions that define this field. Moving beyond, the review provides graphic representations and statistical analyses of recent publications to establish quantitative performance benchmarks.</p>