: desiring, intending, professing, or having the potential to be
tips for would-be mothers and fathers
The conference, held over the Labor Day weekend, drew 1200 to 1300 writers and would-be writers to the Hawaiian island this year …—
John F. Baker
John F. BakerPossibly the most hilarious and outrageous character was Joey Tribbiani, a would-be actor who struggles to find success in his chosen profession …—The Cheat Sheet
The Cheat SheetShe's a clueless, would-be do-gooder without much self-awareness.—Maureen Ryan
Maureen RyanExamples of would-be in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The program offers would-be migrants a lawful pathway to reach the U.S. and reduced arrivals at the border from the beneficiary countries.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2024
These tools are the heavy artillery, the sophisticated devices painstakingly crafted to protect us from crooks, demagogues, and would-be tyrants.
—Kermit Roosevelt Iii, TIME, 31 May 2024
Much of that inventory, though, is ending up in the same few places: along the coasts and in the nation’s busiest auto markets, leaving would-be EV buyers in other regions with precious few options.
—Bloomberg, Orange County Register, 31 May 2024
A week after seeing its affordable electric vehicle hopes left in the mud, with a broadside from would-be partner Renault on the way out, the German automaking boss is digesting news that its rival is now linking up with a Chinese company instead.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Europe, 31 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for would-be 
Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2024
These tools are the heavy artillery, the sophisticated devices painstakingly crafted to protect us from crooks, demagogues, and would-be tyrants.
—Kermit Roosevelt Iii, TIME, 31 May 2024
Much of that inventory, though, is ending up in the same few places: along the coasts and in the nation’s busiest auto markets, leaving would-be EV buyers in other regions with precious few options.
—Bloomberg, Orange County Register, 31 May 2024
A week after seeing its affordable electric vehicle hopes left in the mud, with a broadside from would-be partner Renault on the way out, the German automaking boss is digesting news that its rival is now linking up with a Chinese company instead.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Europe, 31 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for would-be
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'would-be.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would-be. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.
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