would-be

adjective

ˈwu̇d-ˈbē 

: 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

Possibly 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

She's a clueless, would-be do-gooder without much self-awareness.

—Maureen Ryan

Examples of would-be in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This is also the case with a few of the other players on would-be trade partners. — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 27 July 2026

The movie of the summer is also inspiring would-be travelers. — Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 27 July 2026

The news of a would-be deal breakthrough arrives three months after the first round of bids were submitted in April to investment bank Moelis & Co, which handled the auction process. — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026

View gallery - 9 images With its modest length of just 6 m (20 ft), the Mini tiny house could be a good fit for would-be nomads. — Adam Williams july 23, New Atlas, 24 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

would-be

adjective

ˌwu̇d-ˌbē

: desiring, intending, or pretending to be

a would-be poet