: 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
Albarrán sees would-be customers doing their own surveillance, trying to figure out whether an officer in the parking lot, or even just an SUV with tinted windows, might be from Border Patrol, making the short trip from a car to his door too risky.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 21 Nov. 2025
Golden Gate Park is a would-be homeless haven, but local authorities have managed to keep camps from proliferating.
—Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025
The game was the NHL debut for Panthers rookie Jack Devine, a two-time national champion at Denver who was called up with Florida now missing seven would-be regulars in the lineup because of injuries.
—CBS News, 20 Nov. 2025
The decision was made after an appeal from the would-be Turning Point members with help from two of their supportive Loyola New Orleans law school counterparts.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for would-be
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Andy Rose, CNN Money, 21 Nov. 2025
Golden Gate Park is a would-be homeless haven, but local authorities have managed to keep camps from proliferating.
—Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025
The game was the NHL debut for Panthers rookie Jack Devine, a two-time national champion at Denver who was called up with Florida now missing seven would-be regulars in the lineup because of injuries.
—CBS News, 20 Nov. 2025
The decision was made after an appeal from the would-be Turning Point members with help from two of their supportive Loyola New Orleans law school counterparts.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for would-be
Cite this Entry
“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would-be. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
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